sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources;
desertification
natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the
Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity,
Climate Change

@Namibia:People

Population: 1,651,545 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (female 384,885; male 394,216)
15-64 years: 50% (female 414,283; male 405,938)
65 years and over: 3% (female 26,783; male 25,440) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.44% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 43.04 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 8.61 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 59.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 62.1 years
male: 59.37 years
female: 64.9 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.34 children born/woman (1995 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; other ethnic groups include (with approximate
share of total population): Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian
4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions: 80%-90% Christian (50% Lutheran; at least 30% other
Christian denominations)

Languages: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of
the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

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; Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas,
Kunene, Caprivi (Liambezi), Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati,
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