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7 Namibia
7.1 Background and Government
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The Republic of Namibia is a vast, sparsely populated country situated along the south
Atlantic coast of Africa. It is the fi rst country in the world that has incorporated the
protection of the environment into its constitution.
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War
I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory.
In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla
group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was
not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with
a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since
the country won independence in 1990. Hifi kepunye Pohamba was elected president
in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam Nujoma who led the country
during its fi rst 14 years of self rule. Pohamba was reelected in November 2009.
In recent years supporters of land reform have become more vocal. The expropriation
of white-owned farms began in 2005 and the government says it aims to resettle
many thousands of landless citizens. Like its neighbours, Namibia’s wellbeing is being
threatened by the HIV/Aids epidemic, which is estimated to affect 25% of Namibians
80 .
Geography and Demography
Population: 2,108,665. Age structure:
� 0-14 years: 35.9% (male 381,904/female 375,059)
� 15-64 years: 60.2% (male 641,995/female 627,146)
� 65 years and over: 3.9% (male 36,894/female 45,667) (2009 est.)
Other population indicators include:
� Urbanization: urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
� Ethnic groups: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo ethnic group
and 9% to the Kavangos ethnic group; other ethnic groups include Herero 7%,
Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%,
white 6 %, other 6,5 %.
� Religions: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10%
to 20%
� Languages: English 7% (offi cial), Afrikaans common language of most of the population
and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages
1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
� Literacy: defi nition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85%
male: 86.8%
female: 83.5% (2001 census)
� Administrative divisions: 13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas,
Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
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80 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profi les/1063245.stm
81 http://www.indexmundi.com/namibia/demographics_profi le.html