Since then, the Bantu groups, the largest being the Ovambo, have dominated the population of the country; since the late 19th century, they have constituted a majority. In 1878, the Cape of Good Hope, then a British colony, annexed the port of Walvis Bay and the offshore Penguin Islands; these became an integral part of the new Union of South Africa at its creation in 1910.
The Nama-Herero War broke out in 1880, with hostilities ebbing only after the German Empire deployed troops to the contested places and cemented the status quo among the Nama, Oorlam, and Herero. The first Europeans to disembark and explore the region were the Portuguese navigators Diogo Cão in 1485 and Bartolomeu Dias in 1486, but the Portuguese did not try to claim the area.
In 1884 the German Empire established rule over most of the territory, forming a colony known as German South West Africa.
Some of them settled in Namibia instead of continuing their journey. ===German rule=== Namibia became a German colony in 1884 under Otto von Bismarck to forestall perceived British encroachment and was known as German South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika).
Overall 300 journalists work in the country. The first newspaper in Namibia was the German-language Windhoeker Anzeiger, founded 1898.
Between 1904 and 1908 it perpetrated a genocide against the Herero and Nama people.
The Palgrave Commission by the British governor in Cape Town determined that only the natural deep-water harbour of Walvis Bay was worth occupying and thus annexed it to the Cape province of British South Africa. From 1904 to 1907, the Herero and the Namaqua took up arms against brutal German colonialism.
The Palgrave Commission by the British governor in Cape Town determined that only the natural deep-water harbour of Walvis Bay was worth occupying and thus annexed it to the Cape province of British South Africa. From 1904 to 1907, the Herero and the Namaqua took up arms against brutal German colonialism.
Between 1904 and 1908 it perpetrated a genocide against the Herero and Nama people.
Since then, the Bantu groups, the largest being the Ovambo, have dominated the population of the country; since the late 19th century, they have constituted a majority. In 1878, the Cape of Good Hope, then a British colony, annexed the port of Walvis Bay and the offshore Penguin Islands; these became an integral part of the new Union of South Africa at its creation in 1910.
German rule ended in 1915 with a defeat by South African forces.
In 1920, after the end of World War I, the League of Nations mandated administration of the colony to South Africa.
The UN Generally Assembly and Security Council responded by referring the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which held a number of discussions on the legality of South African rule between 1949 and 1966. South Africa began imposing apartheid, its codified system of racial segregation and discrimination, on South West Africa during the late 1940s.
South Africa interpreted the mandate as a veiled annexation and made no attempt to prepare South West Africa for future autonomy. As a result of the Conference on International Organization in 1945, the League of Nations was formally superseded by the United Nations (UN) and former League mandates by a trusteeship system.
From 1948, with the National Party elected to power, this included South Africa applying apartheid to what was then known as South West Africa. In the later 20th century, uprisings and demands for political representation by native African political activists seeking independence resulted in the UN assuming direct responsibility over the territory in 1966, but South Africa maintained de facto rule.
The survivors, when finally released from detention, were subjected to a policy of dispossession, deportation, forced labour, racial segregation, and discrimination in a system that in many ways anticipated the apartheid established by South Africa in 1948. Most Africans were confined to so-called native territories, which under South African rule after 1949 were turned into "homelands" (Bantustans).
The survivors, when finally released from detention, were subjected to a policy of dispossession, deportation, forced labour, racial segregation, and discrimination in a system that in many ways anticipated the apartheid established by South Africa in 1948. Most Africans were confined to so-called native territories, which under South African rule after 1949 were turned into "homelands" (Bantustans).
The UN Generally Assembly and Security Council responded by referring the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which held a number of discussions on the legality of South African rule between 1949 and 1966. South Africa began imposing apartheid, its codified system of racial segregation and discrimination, on South West Africa during the late 1940s.
Outside the Police Zone, indigenous peoples were restricted to theoretically self-governing tribal homelands. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, pressure for global decolonisation and national self-determination began mounting on the African continent; these factors had a radical impact on South West African nationalism.
Outside the Police Zone, indigenous peoples were restricted to theoretically self-governing tribal homelands. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, pressure for global decolonisation and national self-determination began mounting on the African continent; these factors had a radical impact on South West African nationalism.
The 1960 census reported 526,004 persons in what was then South West Africa, including 73,464 whites (14%). ===Censuses=== Namibia conducts a census every ten years.
From 1948, with the National Party elected to power, this included South Africa applying apartheid to what was then known as South West Africa. In the later 20th century, uprisings and demands for political representation by native African political activists seeking independence resulted in the UN assuming direct responsibility over the territory in 1966, but South Africa maintained de facto rule.
The UN Generally Assembly and Security Council responded by referring the issue to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which held a number of discussions on the legality of South African rule between 1949 and 1966. South Africa began imposing apartheid, its codified system of racial segregation and discrimination, on South West Africa during the late 1940s.
In 1966, following the ICJ's controversial ruling that it had no legal standing to consider the question of South African rule, SWAPO launched an armed insurgency that escalated into part of a wider regional conflict known as the South African Border War. ===Independence=== As SWAPO's insurgency intensified, South Africa's case for annexation in the international community continued to decline.
On 12 June 1968, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming that, in accordance with the desires of its people, South West Africa be renamed Namibia.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 269, adopted in August 1969, declared South Africa's continued occupation of Namibia illegal.
Furthermore, the print market is complemented with party publications, student newspapers and PR publications. Radio was introduced in 1969, TV in 1981.
In 1973 the UN recognised the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) as the official representative of the Namibian people; the party is dominated by the Ovambo, who are a large plurality in the territory.
SWAPO's political leadership, dependent on military aid from the Soviets, Cuba, and Angola, positioned the movement within the socialist bloc by 1975.
Furthermore, the print market is complemented with party publications, student newspapers and PR publications. Radio was introduced in 1969, TV in 1981.
Following continued guerrilla warfare, South Africa installed an interim administration in Namibia in 1985.
PLAN and South Africa adopted an informal ceasefire in August 1988, and a United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) was formed to monitor the Namibian peace process and supervise the return of refugees.
The ceasefire was broken after PLAN made a final incursion into the territory, possibly as a result of misunderstanding UNTAG's directives, in March 1989.
Namibia gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990, following the Namibian War of Independence.
Namibia obtained full independence from South Africa in 1990.
Before its independence in 1990, the area was known first as German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika), then as South-West Africa, reflecting the colonial occupation by the Germans and the South Africans. ==History== ===Pre-colonial period=== The dry lands of Namibia have been inhabited since early times by San, Damara, and Nama.
The end of the war and the Treaty of Versailles resulted in South West Africa remaining a possession of South Africa as a League of Nations mandate until 1990.
This gave the party 41 seats, but not a two-thirds majority, which would have enabled it to draft the constitution on its own. The Namibian Constitution was adopted in February 1990.
The country officially became independent on 21 March 1990.
It became the 160th member of the UN on 23 April 1990.
Namibia is home to a small Jewish community of about 100 people. ===Languages=== Up to 1990, English, German, and Afrikaans were official languages.
After independence the first Population and Housing Census was carried out in 1991; further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011.
Les coûts d'une décolonisation retardée, Paris: L'Harmattan, 1991. World Almanac.
However, Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands remained under South African control until 1994. Namibia has a population of 2.55 million people and a stable multi-party parliamentary democracy.
In 1994, following the first multiracial elections in South Africa, that country ceded Walvis Bay to Namibia. ===After independence=== Since independence Namibia has completed the transition from white minority apartheid rule to parliamentary democracy.
He won four Olympic silver medals (1992, 1996) and also has medals from several World Athletics Championships.
In 1998, Namibia Defence Force (NDF) troops were sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) contingent. In 1999, the national government quashed a secessionist attempt in the northeastern Caprivi Strip.
The Namibia national football team qualified for the 1998, 2008 and 2019 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, but has yet to qualify for the World Cup. The most successful national team is the Namibian rugby team, having competed in six separate World Cups.
Golfer Trevor Dodds won the Greater Greensboro Open in 1998, one of 15 tournaments in his career.
He achieved a career high world ranking of 78th in 1998.
In 1998, there were 400,325 Namibian students in primary school and 115,237 students in secondary schools.
In 1998, Namibia Defence Force (NDF) troops were sent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as part of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) contingent. In 1999, the national government quashed a secessionist attempt in the northeastern Caprivi Strip.
Namibia were participants in the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
The pupil–teacher ratio in 1999 was estimated at 32:1, with about 8% of the GDP being spent on education.
"Strict unemployment" (people actively seeking a full-time job) stood at 20.2% in 2000, 21.9% in 2004 and spiralled to 29.4% in 2008.
The nine private radio stations in the country are mainly English-language channels, except for Radio Omulunga (Oshiwambo) and Kosmos 94.1 (Afrikaans). Privately held One Africa TV has competed with NBC since the 2000s. Compared to neighbouring countries, Namibia has a large degree of media freedom.
After independence the first Population and Housing Census was carried out in 1991; further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011.
Between 2001 and 2011 the annual population growth was 1.4%, down from 2.6% in the previous ten-year period. ===Urban settlements=== Namibia has 13 cities, governed by municipalities and 26 towns, governed by town councils.
In 2001, there were an estimated 210,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and the estimated death toll in 2003 was 16,000.
The country had only 598 physicians in 2002. ==Culture== ===Sport=== The most popular sport in Namibia is association football.
In 2001, there were an estimated 210,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, and the estimated death toll in 2003 was 16,000.
Namibia were participants in the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
Cricket is also popular, with the national side having qualified both for 2003 Cricket World Cup and 2020 ICC T20 World Cup.
The German government formally apologised for the Namibian genocide in 2004. ===South African mandate=== During World War I, South African troops under General Louis Botha occupied the territory and deposed the German colonial administration.
"Strict unemployment" (people actively seeking a full-time job) stood at 20.2% in 2000, 21.9% in 2004 and spiralled to 29.4% in 2008.
Under a broader definition (including people who have given up searching for employment) unemployment rose to 36.7% in 2004.
Labour and Social Welfare Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko praised the 2008 study as "by far superior in scope and quality to any that has been available previously", but its methodology has also received criticism. In 2004 a labour act was passed to protect people from job discrimination stemming from pregnancy and HIV/AIDS status.
The transition from the 15-year rule of President Nujoma to his successor Hifikepunye Pohamba in 2005 went smoothly. Since independence, the Namibian government has promoted a policy of national reconciliation.
In the summer of 2006/07 the rainfall was recorded far below the annual average.
There is a substantial Chinese minority in Namibia; it stood at 40,000 in 2006. Whites (mainly of Afrikaner, German, British and Portuguese origin) make up between 4.0 and 7.0% of the population.
Namibia were participants in the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
"Strict unemployment" (people actively seeking a full-time job) stood at 20.2% in 2000, 21.9% in 2004 and spiralled to 29.4% in 2008.
Labour and Social Welfare Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko praised the 2008 study as "by far superior in scope and quality to any that has been available previously", but its methodology has also received criticism. In 2004 a labour act was passed to protect people from job discrimination stemming from pregnancy and HIV/AIDS status.
The Namibia national football team qualified for the 1998, 2008 and 2019 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, but has yet to qualify for the World Cup. The most successful national team is the Namibian rugby team, having competed in six separate World Cups.
Human rights and the rule of law in Namibia, Macmillan Namibia, 2008. Horn, N/Bösl, A (eds.).
The independence of the judiciary in Namibia, Macmillan Namibia, 2008. KAS Factbook Namibia, Facts and figures about the status and development of Namibia, Ed.
The largest economic sectors are mining (10.4% of the gross domestic product in 2009), agriculture (5.0%), manufacturing (13.5%), and tourism. Namibia has a highly developed banking sector with modern infrastructure, such as online banking and cellphone banking.
In 2009, Namibia dropped to position 36 on the Press Freedom Index.
An independent media ombudsman was appointed in 2009 to prevent a state-controlled media council. ===Education=== Namibia has free education for both primary and secondary education levels.
In early 2010 the Government tender board announced that "henceforth 100 per cent of all unskilled and semi-skilled labour must be sourced, without exception, from within Namibia". In 2013, global business and financial news provider, Bloomberg, named Namibia the top emerging market economy in Africa and the 13th best in the world.
Over the past years, the country usually ranked in the upper quarter of the Press Freedom Index of Reporters without Borders, reaching position 21 in 2010, being on par with Canada and the best-positioned African country.
The worst floods occurred in March 2011 and displaced 21,000 people. ===Water sources=== Namibia is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and depends largely on groundwater.
After independence the first Population and Housing Census was carried out in 1991; further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011.
These areas do not overlap with constituency boundaries to get reliable data for election purposes as well. The 2011 Population and Housing Census counted 2,113,077 inhabitants.
Between 2001 and 2011 the annual population growth was 1.4%, down from 2.6% in the previous ten-year period. ===Urban settlements=== Namibia has 13 cities, governed by municipalities and 26 towns, governed by town councils.
Some critics argue that, as in other postcolonial African societies, the push for monolingual instruction and policy has resulted in a high rate of school drop-outs and of individuals whose academic competence in any language is low. According to the 2011 census, the most common languages are Oshiwambo (the most spoken language for 49% of households), Khoekhoegowab (11.3%), Afrikaans (10.4%), RuKwangali (9%), and Otjiherero (9%).
A complete list of languages according to the 2011 census is 48.9% Oshiwambo, 11.3% Khoekhoegowab, 10.4% Afrikaans, 8.6% Otjiherero, 8.5% RuKwangali, 4.8% siLozi, 3.4% English, 1.2% Other African Languages, 0.9% German, 0.8% San, 0.7% Other European Languages, 0.3% Setswana, and 0.1% Asian Languages. Most of the white population speaks either German or Afrikaans.
According to the 2011 UNAIDS Report, the epidemic in Namibia "appears to be leveling off." As the HIV/AIDS epidemic has reduced the working-aged population, the number of orphans has increased.
Namibia were participants in the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
An aquifer called Ohangwena II, on both sides of the Angola-Namibia border, was discovered in 2012.
There are 5 BoN authorised commercial banks in Namibia: Bank Windhoek, First National Bank, Nedbank, Standard Bank and Small and Medium Enterprises Bank. According to the Namibia Labour Force Survey Report 2012, conducted by the Namibia Statistics Agency, the country's unemployment rate is 27.4%.
In early 2010 the Government tender board announced that "henceforth 100 per cent of all unskilled and semi-skilled labour must be sourced, without exception, from within Namibia". In 2013, global business and financial news provider, Bloomberg, named Namibia the top emerging market economy in Africa and the 13th best in the world.
Only four African countries made the Top 20 Emerging Markets list in the March 2013 issue of Bloomberg Markets magazine, and Namibia was rated ahead of Morocco (19th), South Africa (15th) and Zambia (14th).
A Demographic and Health Survey with an HIV biomarker was completed in 2013 and served as the fourth comprehensive, national-level population and health survey conducted in Namibia as part of the global Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) programme.
In 2013, it was 19th, 22nd in 2014 and 23rd in 2019, meaning that it is currently the highest ranked African country in terms of press freedom. Media and journalists in Namibia are represented by the Namibian chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the Editors' Forum of Namibia.
It wanted the Caprivi Strip to secede and form its own society. In December 2014, Prime Minister Hage Geingob, the candidate of ruling SWAPO, won the presidential elections, taking 87% of the vote.
In 2013, it was 19th, 22nd in 2014 and 23rd in 2019, meaning that it is currently the highest ranked African country in terms of press freedom. Media and journalists in Namibia are represented by the Namibian chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the Editors' Forum of Namibia.
The total fertility rate in 2015 was 3.47 children per woman according to the UN. ===Ethnic groups=== The majority of the Namibian population is of Bantu-speaking origin—mostly of the Ovambo ethnicity, which forms about half of the population—residing mainly in the north of the country, although many are now resident in towns throughout Namibia.
Namibia were participants in the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
Professional cyclist and Namibian Road Race champion Dan Craven represented Namibia at the 2016 Summer Olympics in both the road race and individual time trial.
According to the Namibian Defence Ministry, enlistments of both men and women will number no more than 7,500. The chief of the Namibian Defence Force is Air Vice Marshal Martin Kambulu Pinehas (with effect from 1 April 2020). In 2017, Namibia signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ===Administrative divisions=== Namibia is divided into 14 regions which are subdivided into 121 constituencies.
In December 2017, Namibia Cricket reached the final of the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Provincial One Day Challenge for the first time.
Some Namibian government officials and high-profile figures, such as Namibia's Ombudsman John Walters and First Lady Monica Geingos, have called for sodomy and homosexuality to be decriminalised and are in favour of LGBT rights. In November 2018, it was reported that 32% of women aged 15–49 have experienced violence and domestic abuse from their spouses/partners and 29.5% of men believe that physical abuse towards their wife/partner is acceptable.
In February 2018 Namibia hosted the ICC World Cricket League Division 2 with Namibia, Kenya, UAE, Nepal, Canada and Oman to compete for the final two ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier positions in Zimbabwe. The most famous athlete from Namibia is Frankie Fredericks, sprinter in the 100 and 200 m events.
In December 2019, President Hage Geingob was re-elected for a second term, taking 56.3% of the vote. ==Geography== At , Namibia is the world's thirty-fourth largest country (after Venezuela).
In May 2019, Namibia declared a state of emergency in response to the drought, and extended it by additional 6 months in October 2019. Weather and climate in the coastal area are dominated by the cold, north-flowing Benguela Current of the Atlantic Ocean, which accounts for very low precipitation ( per year or less), frequent dense fog, and overall lower temperatures than in the rest of the country.
The Namibia national football team qualified for the 1998, 2008 and 2019 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, but has yet to qualify for the World Cup. The most successful national team is the Namibian rugby team, having competed in six separate World Cups.
Namibia were participants in the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 Rugby World Cups.
In 2013, it was 19th, 22nd in 2014 and 23rd in 2019, meaning that it is currently the highest ranked African country in terms of press freedom. Media and journalists in Namibia are represented by the Namibian chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa and the Editors' Forum of Namibia.
On its independence it became the 50th member of the Commonwealth of Nations. ===Military=== In early 2020, The Global Firepower Index (GFP) reported that Namibia's military is ranked as one of the weakest in the world, at 126th out of 137 countries.
According to the Namibian Defence Ministry, enlistments of both men and women will number no more than 7,500. The chief of the Namibian Defence Force is Air Vice Marshal Martin Kambulu Pinehas (with effect from 1 April 2020). In 2017, Namibia signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. ===Administrative divisions=== Namibia is divided into 14 regions which are subdivided into 121 constituencies.
Cricket is also popular, with the national side having qualified both for 2003 Cricket World Cup and 2020 ICC T20 World Cup.
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