Attribute | Value |
---|---|
Geography | |
Area | 824,292 km² |
Continent | Africa |
Land area | 823,290 km² |
Water area | 1,002 km² |
Land boundaries | 4,220 km |
Border countries |
|
Coastline | 1,572 km |
Mean elevation | 1,141 m |
Lowest point | 0 m |
Highest point | 2,573 m |
People | |
Population | 2,630,073 |
Official languages |
|
Religion | Christian |
Government | |
Long country name | Republic of Namibia |
Short country name | Namibia |
Long local name | Republic of Namibia |
Short local name | Namibia |
Former name |
|
Government type | Presidential republic |
Capital | Windhoek |
Economy | |
GDP (PPP) | 26,600,000,000 USD |
GDP (OER) | 13,240,000,000 USD |
GDP (real growth rate) | -0.8 % |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | 11,200 USD |
Gross national saving | 16.7 % of GDP |
Labor force | 956,800 |
Unemployment rate | 34 % |
Population below poverty line | 28.7 % |
Budget revenues | 4,268,000,000 USD |
Budget expenditures | 5,000,000,000 USD |
Military expenditures | 3.35 % of GDP |
Taxes and other revenues | 32.2 % of GDP |
Budget surplus or deficit | -5.5 % of GDP |
Public debt | 41.3 % of GDP |
Inflation rate | 6.1 % |
Central bank discount rate | 7 % |
Commercial bank prime lending rate | 10.04 % |
Stock of narrow money | 3,425,000,000 USD |
Stock of broad money | 3,425,000,000 USD |
Stock of domestic credit | 8,582,000,000 USD |
Market value of publicly traded shares | 1,305,000,000 USD |
Current account balance | -438,000,000 USD |
Exports | 3,995,000,000 USD |
Imports | 5,384,000,000 USD |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 2,432,000,000 USD |
External debt | 7,969,000,000 USD |
National currency | Namibian dollars |
National currency (code) | NAD |
National currency (symbol) | $ |
National currency rate to USD | 13.67 |
Namibia gained independence in 1990. Prior to independence, apartheid South Africa occupied the former German colony known as South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966, the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence, though the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. President Hage GEINGOB was elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the 2014 elections and established a system of gender parity in parliamentary positions.