Namibia is an emerging independent nation with many contrasts. It's located on the far southwestern coast of Africa and is home to about 2 million people. The capital city is Windhoek, the currency is the Namibian Dollar and the official language is English although most people speak Afrikaans or a tribal language at home.

The country is arid, with very little annual rainfall. The Kalahari Desert rings its eastern border with Botswana. In Namib-Naukluft Park, sands dunes exceed 1,000 feet in height. Home to the world's largest uranium mine, it also produces large quantities of diamonds, lead and cadmium.

For further information, see the article in the Columbia Encyclopedia.

Area

318,260 square miles

Population

2,055,080 people

Urban Population

30 percent

Human Development Index

ranks 125 out of 177 countries

GNP Per Capita

$3,210 U.S. dollars

Life Expectancy

43.11 years

Adult Literacy

85 percent

Religions

85% Christian 0% Muslim 15% Traditional

More Facts: Ethiopia  Kenya  Sudan  Tanzania

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