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Background:
South Africa occupied the German colony ot South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as its 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 was soon named 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 won its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye Pohamba was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam Nujoma who led the country during its first 14 years of self-rule.
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| Capital |
Windhoek |
| Area |
824 269 km2 |
| Population |
2.088 million (July 2008 est.), 38% in cities |
| Population growth rate |
0,947% (July 2008 est.) |
| Languages |
English (Official), Oshivambo, Herero, Afrikaans and others |
| Life expectancy |
49,89 years (July 2008 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate (under 5 years) |
45.64 deaths / 1.000 live births (July 2008 est.) |
| Fertility rate |
2.81 children born / woman (July 2008 est.) |
| Ability to read, grown up over 15 years |
Male 86.8 % / Female 83.5% |
| Telephones |
54 / 1.000 citizens |
| TV's |
29 / 1.000 citizens |
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- Important harvests
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- Corn, wheat, durra, millet
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- GNP per capita
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- USD 7,400 (2006)
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| GNP composition by sector |
agriculture: 11.8%
industry: 30.2%
services: 58.1% (2006)
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- Income from exports, composition by sector
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52% minerals (±70% diamonds) 25% fish and fish products, 13% live animals, meat and animal products. |
- Foreign debt
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- USD 693 million
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- Inflation
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- 4.9% average (2006)
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- Currency
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- Namibian dollar (N$, NAD), N$ 1= 100 cents, pegged 1:1 to the South African rand.
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- Unemployment rate
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- 30-40% (est.)
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| Independence Day March 21 1990 |
German colony until 1914, thereafter occupied by South Africa.
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| Political system |
Republic, multi-party system, latest election 2004 |
| President |
H. Pohamba (SWAPO), 2004-?, Sam Nujoma (SWAPO), 1990-2004. |
| Females in the parliament |
17.3% |
| Religions |
Christians 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), traditional 10% to 20% |
Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2008
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Country Information