GENERAL
- Surface area: 824 268 km2
- Capital: Windhoek
- Independence: March 21, 1990
- Current president: Hon. Mr. Hage Geingob
- Multiparty parliament
- Democratic constitution
- Secular state – freedom of religion (90% Christian)
- Freedom of press/media
POPULATION
- 2.59 million
- Density: 2.2 per km²
- 14 regions
- 450 000 inhabitants in Windhoek (18% total)
- Official language: english
- 13 ethnic cultures
- 16 languages and dialects
- Literacy rate: 65%
- Population growth rate: 2.9%
- 1 450 schools – 94% of children attend school
ENVIRONMENT
- Nature reserves 15% of surface area (105 559 km²)
- Highest mountain: Brandberg 2579 m
- Rivers: Orange River southern border with South Africa, Kunene, Okavango, Zambezi and Kwando/Linyanti/Chobe, northern border with Angola, Zambia and Botswana
- Ephemeral rivers: Fish, Kuiseb, Swakop and Ugab
FLORA
- 14 vegetation zones
- 120 species of trees
- 200 endemic plant species
- 100 species of lichen
- Living fossil plant: Welwitschia Mirabilis
FAUNA
- Big game: elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, antelope
- 20 species of antelope
- 240 species of mammals (14 endemic)
- 250 species of reptiles
- 50 species of frogs
- ± 630 species of birds
- Endemic birds: Herero chat, Rockrunner, Monteiro’s hornbill
DRINKING WATER
- Most tap water is purified and safe to drink. Visitors should exercise caution in rural areas
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
- 5450 km tarred roads
- 37000 km gravel roads
- Main harbours: Walvis Bay, Lüderitz
- Airports and airstrips: Windhoek main airport: Hosea Kutako International Airport, Windhoek City: Eros Airport
- Airstrips: 46
- Rail Network: 2382 km
- Direct dialing facilities to 221 countries
- Mobile communications system: GSM
- Agreements with 40 countries / 80 networks
ECONOMY
- Main sectors: mining, fishing, tourism & agriculture
- Biggest Employer: agriculture 46%
- Fastest growing sector: tourism
- Mining: diamonds, uranium, copper, lead, zinc, magnesium, cadmium, arsenic, pyrites, silver and gold, lithium, minerals, dimension stones (granite, marble, blue sodalite) and many semi-precious stones
- GDP per capita: N$ 11 736
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Passport – valid six months after date of entry
- Citizens from the following countries are exempted from visa requirements if entering Namibia as bone fide tourist: Angola, Australia, Austria, Belgium, botswana, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Germany, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Scandinavian countries, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tanzania, UK, USA, Zambia, Zimbabwe
- For further information contact Ministry of Home Affairs telephone +264-61-292 2102
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
- All run on 220/240 volts. Outlets are of the round 3-pin, 15-amps type, the same as in South Africa
TAX & CUSTOMS
- All goods and services are priced to include value-added tax of 15%
- Visitors may reclaim VAT
- Enquiries Ministry of Finance – tel. +264-61 23 0773
TRANSPORT
- Public transport NOT available to all destinations in Namibia
- Bus service from Windhoek / Cape Tow n/ Johannesburg / Vic Falls / Swakopmund
- Namibia’s main railway lines runs from the South African border, connecting Windhoek to Swakopmund in the west and Tsumeb
- Extensive network of international and regional flights from Windhoek
- Domestic charters to all destinations
MONEY MATTERS
- Currency: the Namibian Dollar (N$) is fixed and equals the South African Rand. SA Rand is also legal tender
- Most international credit cards are accepted
- Travellers cheques in foreign currency can be exchanged during banking hours, week days from 09.00 – 15.30 and Saturdays from 8.30-10.30, at any commercial bank in most towns
- Bureau de Change offices at the International Airport and in the Levinson Arcade in Windhoek
- No credit cards accepted at petrol stations
- Personal cheques, foreign currency or foreign Travellers Cheques are NOT accepted at rest camps
SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE
- One medical doctor per 3650 people
- Windhoek has 2 privately run hospitals
- Intensive care units
- 24 hours medical emergency services
MEDICAL & EMERGENCY SERVICES
- INTERNATIONAL SOS: Windhoek: 061 230505/249777
- NETCARE: 061-22 3330,
- Swakopmund: 064-400700,
- Tsumeb: 081-128 5501,
- Walvis Bay: 064-200 200
