Namibia in Brief:

Capital: Windhoek - with main port being Walvis Bay.

Currency: Namibian dollar and South African Rand (equal and interchangeable).

Size: 824 000 sq. kilometres, estimated to be the size of France. A long finger of land in the northeast is the Kaprivi Strip, a relic from the German occupiers who wanted access to the Zambezi river and the interior of Africa.

Population: 1.8 million.

Main port: Walvis Bay.

Languages: English (official), Afrikaans, Oshivambo, Herero, Nama.
History: Colonised since 1884, first by Germany and then South Africa. After a 20 year bush war, the nation gained independence in 1990 and has enjoyed 14 years of freedom and democracy to date.

Namibia has a strong, vibrant cultural diversity and a wide mix of traditional tribes and customs. Largest tribes: Ovambo and Herero.

Economy: Based on rich mineral wealth - Alluvial Diamonds, uranium, copper, gold, lithium, tin, lead, zinc, gas, cadmium, etc. Very stable economy with controlled growth in the tourism sector.

Climate: Generally hot and dry. A cold current up the west coast creates a rain-shadow which causes most of Namibia’s interior to be desert or semi-arid.

A vast and fascinating country, Namibia has a tourist infrastructure to rival the best in Africa. A land of contrasts and dramatic landscapes, the country boasts attractions such as the Skeleton Coast and Namib deserts, the Fish River Canyon, Etosha National Park and the Kalahari desert.

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