, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
salt, vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural
gas, coal, iron ore
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
64%
forest and woodland:
22%
other:
13%
Irrigated land:
40 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
very limited natural water resources; desertification
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

@Namibia, People

Population:
1,595,567 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.45% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
43.4 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
8.87 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
61.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
61.65 years
male:
58.97 years
female:
64.4 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.4 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Namibian(s)
adjective:
Namibian
Ethnic divisions:
black 86%, white 6.6%, mixed 7.4%
note:
about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the
Kavangos tribe
Religions:
Christian
Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1960)
total population:
38%
male:
45%
female:
31%
Labor force:
500,000
by occupation:
agriculture 60%, industry and commerce 19%, services 8%, government
7%, mining 6% (1981 est.)

@Namibia, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Namibia
conventional short form:
Namibia
Digraph:
WA
Type:
republic
Capital:
Windhoek
Administrative divisions:
13 districts; Erango, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Liambezi,
Ohanguena, Okarango, Omaheke, Omusat, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990; effective 12 March 1990
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990);