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It's
hard to imagine how the German colonisers of Namibia coped
with the unlimited elbow room, vast deserts and annual quota
of 300 days of sunshine, but that's exactly what now draws
travellers to one of Africa's most intriguing destinations.
Wedged
between the Kalahari and the chilly South Atlantic, Namibia's
charms are well known in neighbouring South Africa, but outsiders
have only recently discovered its deserts, seascapes, bushwalking
and boundlessness. Blessed with rich natural resources, a
solid modern infrastructure and diverse traditional cultures,
Namibia is a beautiful country of vast potential.
Full
country name: Republic of Namibia
Area: 825,418 sq km (318,261 sq mi)
Population: 1.8 million
Capital city: Windhoek (pop 161,000)
People: 86% African (50% Owambo, 9% Kavango, 7% Herero, 7%
Damara, 5% Nama, 4% Caprivian, 3% San, 2% Baster, 0.5% Tswana),
7.4% mixed, 6.6% white
Languages: English, Afrikaans, German, Oshivambo, Herero,
Nama
Religion: Christian, Lutheran, native religions
Government: Republic
President: Sam Nujoma
GDP:
US$6.6 billion
GDP per head: US$4100
Annual growth: 2%
Inflation: 7%
Major industries: Meat packing, fish processing, dairy products,
mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium,
copper), millet, sorghum, peanuts, livestock, fish
Major trading partners: UK, South Africa, Spain, Japan, Germany,
USA
Namibia
Flight from UK
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