Namibia - CountryWatch

History Political Overview
Political Overview
History
In 1500, the Herero and Ovambo peoples had already settled in northern Namibia. Pastoralist Herero
communities gradually extended southwards in search of new grazing areas. Nama groups were similarly
moving northwards into the grasslands of central Namibia.
European exploration of the southwestern coast of Africa began in the 16 th century, but the presence of
the Namib Desert prevented actual penetration of the region.
This inhospitable coastal desert constituted a formidable barrier to European exploration until the late
18 th century, when a succession of travelers, traders, hunters and missionaries came into the area.
By 1878, the United Kingdom had annexed Walvis Bay on behalf of Cape Colony. In 1883, German
trader Adolf Luderitz, claimed the rest of the coastal region for his country. Negotiations between the
United Kingdom and Germany followed to settle jurisdiction of the region. Germany subsequently
annexed the coastal zone, excluding Walvis Bay, in 1884.
In 1885, the United Kingdom recognized the Namibian hinterland (up to 200-east longitude) as a German
sphere of influence. The strategic Caprivi Strip became a part of South West Africa after an agreement
between the United Kingdom and Germany on July 1, 1890.
The British agreed that the strip would fall under German administration, providing access to the Zambezi
River and German colonies in East Africa. In exchange, the British received the islands of Zanzibar
and Heligoland. The resulting demarcation of German South West Africa became the precursor to
present-day Namibian borders.
When Germans moved into the central grasslands after 1890, they sought to exploit competition that
had arisen between Nama and Herero groups over the control of grazing lands. The rapid spread of the
viral disease rinderpest in 1896-97 decimated the local pastoral economies and encouraged the
expanded settlement of colonists. Except for the northernmost Ovambo territories, German authority
extended over most of southwest Africa by 1900.
Losing their land resources and facing increasing indebtedness to German traders, many Nama and
Herero were forced to sell their remaining cattle to stock the new white farms. In 1904, the Herero
rebelled, killing settlers and reoccupying territory. German reinforcements drove them into the Kalahari
with staggering results. Less than 25 percent of the Herero population survived by the end of
1905.
7 Namibia Review 2013