THE LAND
• 824 269 km² (318 250 sq.miles), two-thirds of the size of South Africa, Namibia is bigger than the British Isles, Netherlands and France together. It is situated 17°S – 29°S; 12°E – 21°E, on the west coast of southern Africa, south of Angola, west of Botswana and north of South Africa.
• Isolated in the southwestern corner of Africa, its large size contributes to a lack of development but offers the possibility of a variety of mining and farming products.
From west to east four relief regions can be distinguished.
• The Namib along the west coast with sand dunes of 60 – 90 m (180 - 270 ft) across a surface area of 34 000 km² (13 077 sq. miles). In the north episodic rivers intersect this plain of 80 km (50 miles) to 120 km (75 miles).
• East of the Namib the Escarpment extends from southern Angola parallel along the coast to the Orange River. It is a deeply eroded mountain chain from the Kunene River in the north to the Orange River in the south with the central highlands, better known as the Khomas Hochland.
• Next is the Inland Plateau consisting of vast plains fringed by low mountains, scattered hills and inselbergen (island mountains). The Central Highland around Windhoek is the main watershed steering the Nossob, Auob and Olifants Rivers to the southeast, the Kuiseb, Swakop and Omaruru to the west and the Fish River with its well-known canyon to the south.
• The fourth relief region in the east is the Kalahari lowland and Caprivi Zipfel with narrow water channels and numerous islands.
• The only perennial rivers are on the boundaries with other countries such as the Orange in the south and the Kunene, Kwando and Okavango in the north.
• Two important areas of inland drainage are the Etosha Pan in the north and the Sossusvlei Area in the southwest.
THE CLIMATE
• With the Tropic of Capricorn midway through the country, Namibia is in the horse lattitudes with a high atmospheric pressure. The cold Benguela sea current, the north-south escarpment and easterly winds act together to ensure a very low, unpredictable annual rainfall of 270 mm (10 in). The Namib Desert is one of the driest areas in the world.
• The southwestern corner of Namibia is a winter rainfall area while the major part of the country receives violent afternoon thunderstorms between October and March. The highest rainfall of 500 – 600 mm p.a.( 20 – 24 inches) occurs in the northeast from where the rainfall decreases southwestwards to 300 mm (12 in.) on the central plateau, 200 mm (8 in.) in the south and 100 mm (4 in.) in the far west.
• Because of the nearness of the equator, daytime summer temperatures in the south and the north are high, on average 40°C (104°F). On the central highlands it is a bit cooler due to the height above sea level. While daytime winter temperatures are lower, the dry air causes very cold nights.
• Advection mist is a common feature along the Namibian Coast due to the occurrance of a temperature inversion for the greater part of the year.
PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE
• Namibia has a rich variety of natural vegetation because of the varying topography and rainfall:
• Hardy desert plants in the west and southwest – elephant’s trunk, stone plants (Lithops) and quiver tree;
• Welwitschia mirabilis in Namib Desert and other desert-adapted plants;
• Savannahs – grass with dwarf shrub in the south to camelthorn in the north;
• Woodlands in the northeast with maroela, mopani, manketti trees and palms and wetlands in Caprivi;
• Varied animal life adapted to the natural vegetation and climate: Specialized reptiles and beetles in the desert and aquatic species in the wetlands; In between are the many kinds of grazers and predators, many of which have been removed in commercial farming areas and densely populated areas.
• Fortunately game reserves such as Etosha National Park, Kaudom Game Park and Namib-Naukluft Park are sanctuaries for large herds of typical plain animals, the big five and many endemic reptiles and beetles.
THE PEOPLE
• A series of historical events and the age-old struggle between man and nature cause Namibia to be a sparsely populated country with a population density of 1,7 persons per km² (0,4 sq. miles). About 67% of the country’s 1,5 million people still live in rural areas.
• About 90% of the population are Christians while small Jewish and Moslem communities are found in Windhoek, the capital of the country. In rural areas traditional religious beliefs are still practised along with Christianity.
• While English became the official language in 1989, Afrikaans is still the lingua franca in large parts of the country. In certain urban areas such as Lüderitz and Swakopmund, German is widely spoken.
• The most commonly spoken languages indicate that a variety of population groups settled in this country. The fact that they still prefer to use their home tongue, is an indication that they adhere to their different cultures of which the San, Herero, Himba, Topnaars and Basters are the most important.
• The former provinces remind one of the different population groups: Damaraland, Rehoboth, Namaland, Hereroland, Bushmanland, Kavango, Owambo and Kaokoland.
• All together the population is about 1,5 million of which an increasing percentage is being urbanized. The most important urban centre, Windhoek, is the capital with other centres at Walvis Bay, Tsumeb, Keetmanshoop, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Lüderitz.
THE ECONOMY
• The various population groups are traditionally rurally orientated with agriculture and stock rearing as the essence of their existence. Traditional customs are still honoured so that a subsistence economy prevails to a large extent.
• Stock, especially cattle, play an important role in their social organisation although small-stock farming is practised in the sparsely vegetated dry areas. Karakul farming used to be important in the south.
• Mining accounts for approximately 50% of the gross national product. Apart from diamond deposits along the west coast north of the Orange River, copper is produced in Tsumeb where base metals such as lead, zinc, germanium, silver and arsenic are also mined.
• Urbanization and programmes of sustained economic development increased the per capita income and improved commercial livestock farming to account for about 80% of the gross agricultural income. Meat is exported to neighbouring South Africa.
• Much still has to be done in connection with the roads and tracks in rural areas due to the far distances, although in the central and southern parts a road network is well developed. Rail services, especially freight-orientated, two harbours, Lüderitz and Walvis Bay, and the national airline, Air Namibia, serve the country satisfactorily.
• Namibia’s rich fishing resources, the implementation of stringent conservation measures and the declaration of the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone have helped to develop the fishing industry. Walvis Bay and Lüderitz are well-known harbours from where pilchards, anchovies and rock lobster products are exported to Europe, the USA and the Far East.
• Secondary industry is basically raw-material orientated and in it’s infancy. Notwithstanding a shortage of water, long distances, small population and domestic market, lack of capital and power resources, the country relies heavily on fish, meat-canning and dairy factories in Windhoek, Okahandja, Otavi, Gobabis and other small towns. Beer breweries, furniture factories, printers, mineral water factories, leather tanneries and bakeries aim at the local market.
• In many instances Namibia’s economy is closely linked to that of neighbouring South Africa. Although Swawek is responsible for Namibia’s power supply mainly from the Ruacana hydro-electric plant on the Kunene River, it is linked to Eskom’s network in southern Africa.
THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS
• Despite a harsh climate, small population, long distances and large areas of underdevelopment, Namibia has much to offer to the tourist.
• Windhoek and surrounds in Central Namibia with its hot summers and mild winters provides a variety of African and Western cultures, both old colonial and present-day amenities for the traveller. The Khomas Hochland, the Hardap Dam and Game Reserve south of Windhoek, the Gross Barmen at a thermal spring north of Windhoek, Daan Viljoen Game Park west of Windhoek and Okahandja offer much to see. Windhoek itself provides opportunities for city walks to the Zoo Park, the architectural influence of colonial German settlers, castles such as Schwerinsburg, Heinitzburg and Sanderburg. Mariental, Maltahöhe and Rehoboth are also within reach by means of safari and bus tours.
• Southern Namibia, a vast, arid region with landscapes ranging from the desolate Namib in the west to the rolling Kalahari dunes in the east, is being opened up for tourism by several guest farms. Brukkaros, an extinct volcano, the Fish River Canyon, the Quiver Tree Forest and Mukurob are some of the interesting places and regions which are due to be on the traveller’s list of sight-seeing. From Keetmanshoop it is just a stone’s throw to the Canyon and Ai-Ais, a hot-springs resort in the surroundings of a moon landscape. The Orange River, Oranjemund, Lüderitz, the Bogenfels and the Ghosts of Kolmanskop are all within reach of splendid tours in this region.
• The Namib-Naukluft area recently became one of the most fascinating places to visit. Included in this area is the Namib-Naukluft Park, one of the largest game reserves in Africa. Destinations to Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Sossusvlei, Sesriem Canyon in the Tsauchab River and Dune Seven are all worth a visit. In the Namib permits are sometimes necessary to visit for example the Moon Landscape, Welwitschia Drive and the Kuiseb Canyon. Apart from sight-seeing in Swakopmund such as Woermannhaus, Hohenzollernhaus and the State House, outings can be arranged to the Camel Farm, Rössing Uranium Mine and the Salt works. Walvis Bay Nature Reserve and Sandwich Harbour deserve the traveller’s visit.
• Skeleton Coast and Kaokoveld in the remote northwestern corner of Namibia are renowned for their scenic areas. The windswept and misty Skeleton Coast, sometimes referred to as the world’s largest shipping graveyard, is nonetheless described as “a world of intricately patterned sand-dunes, shimmering saltpans and plains stretching into the distance.” Kaokoland, home of the Himba people, is one of the world’s last wilderness areas. South of Kaokoland is Damaraland, an inhospitable region with many rewards such as the Brandberg, the highest mountain in Namibia, with many rock paintings, including the White Lady. The west coast which includes Henties Bay is an important and popular angling area and is also renowned for the Cape fur seals. In the north the spectacular Epupa and Ruacana Falls in the perennial Kunene River is scenically beautiful and to a large extent untamed.
• Etosha and the North is Namibia’s prime tourist attraction and only about five hour’s drive from Windhoek. The best time to visit this area is during the dry winter months of moderate day temperatures. Summers are very warm and humidity is high with heavy showers and accompanying thunderstorms. For the visitor there are ample opportunities to travel from one beautiful spot to another, looking at natural wonders such as the Hoba meteorite (largest in the world) near Grootfontein, Lake Otjikoto near Tsumeb, rock paintings in the Erongo Mountains, fossilized remains near Omaruru where Dinosaur Tracks have been declared a national monument. Namibia’s most important mining town, Tsumeb, should be on the visitor’s itenenary, as well as Grootfontein, not to mention the Etosha National Park and the Waterberg Plateau Park.
• Okavango and Caprivi with their dense woodlands, meandering rivers and vast swamps are completely different from that of any other region in Namibia. Again the best visiting time is the dry winter months to avoid the humid summer months with its thunderstorms. The Kaudom Game Park and the Mahanga Game Park with the nearby Popa Falls are well-known attractions. Caprivi is still largely unexplored but Katima Mulilo, the main settlement in the region, is a gateway to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and the Chobe National Park in Botswana. Apart from the usual African animals, waterbuck, red lechwe, sitatunga and the rare puku are found especially in these swampy areas, not to mention a wide variety of bird species. The Caprivi Game Park still has to be developed for tourists due to its remoteness and dense vegetation. Exploring the waterways on a variety of craft depends on the visitor’s budget because motor boats, canoes and traditional dugout canoes can be hired alongside the luxurious Zambezi Queen.
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