Part 135
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85%
male: 86.8%
female: 83.5% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 26
Government ::Namibia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
local long form: Republic of Namibia
local short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Windhoek
geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
Administrative divisions:
13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, 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 on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders:
All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]; Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC; National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA]; Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA]; South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group); National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU
embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500
FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603
Flag description:
a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green
Economy ::Namibia
Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.28 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $12.9 billion (2007 est.)
$12.23 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.835 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 5.5% (2007 est.)
7.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $6,200 (2007 est.)
$6,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 37%
services: 54% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
686,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 47%
industry: 20%
services: 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Population below poverty line:
the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
70.7 (2003) country comparison to the world: 1
Investment (gross fixed):
23.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Budget:
revenues: $2.661 billion
expenditures: $2.745 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
20% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 6.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 10.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.74% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 12.88% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.983 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 $2.149 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.158 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $1.493 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.43 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $4.446 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$618.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $702 million (31 December 2007)
$541.8 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish
Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - production:
1.65 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Electricity - consumption:
3.175 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Electricity - exports:
40 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.045 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - imports:
19,120 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 89
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - proved reserves:
62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Current account balance:
$239.8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $693.2 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.167 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $2.922 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Imports:
$3.849 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $3.102 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.293 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $896 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$807.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004)
Communications ::Namibia
Telephones - main lines in use:
140,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 137
Telephones - mobile cellular:
1.052 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 141
Telephone system:
general assessment: good system with a combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity of about 55 per 100 persons
domestic: core fiber-optic network links most centers and connections are now digital; Namibia's first mobile-cellular network, launched in 1994, provides coverage to 86 percent of Namibia by area
international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to other neighboring countries; connected to the South African Far East (SAFE) submarine cable through South Africa; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (2007)
Internet country code:
.na
Internet hosts:
17,840 (2009) country comparison to the world: 105
Internet users:
113,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 149
Transportation ::Namibia
Airports:
129 (2009) country comparison to the world: 44
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 108
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 11 (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,629 km country comparison to the world: 64 narrow gauge: 2,629 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 42,237 km country comparison to the world: 86 paved: 5,406 km
unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)
Merchant marine:
total: 1 country comparison to the world: 155 by type: cargo 1
registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Military ::Namibia
Military branches:
Namibian Defense Force: Army, Navy, Air Wing (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 527,948 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 329,614
females age 16-49: 294,490 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 25,857
female: 25,505 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 36
Transnational Issues ::Namibia
Disputes - international:
concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 4,700 (Angola) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Nauru (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::Nauru
Background:
The exact origins of the Nauruans are unclear since their language does not resemble any other in the Pacific. The island was annexed by Germany in 1888. Its phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th century by a German-British consortium. Nauru was occupied by Australian forces in World War I and subsequently became a League of Nations mandate. After the Second World War - and a brutal occupation by Japan - Nauru became a UN trust territory. It achieved independence in 1968 and joined the UN in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic.
Geography ::Nauru
Location:
Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall Islands
Geographic coordinates:
0 32 S, 166 55 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 21 sq km country comparison to the world: 238 land: 21 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
30 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to February)
Terrain:
sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with phosphate plateau in center
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m
Natural resources:
phosphates, fish
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
Natural hazards:
periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect rainwater but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator
People ::Nauru
Population:
14,019 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 222
Age structure:
0-14 years: 34.7% (male 2,482/female 2,384)
15-64 years: 63.2% (male 4,362/female 4,495)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male 151/female 145) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21.6 years
male: 21 years
female: 22.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.748% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Birth rate:
23.9 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 73
Death rate:
6.42 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150
Net migration rate:
NA (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 100% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.25 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 154 male: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.2 years country comparison to the world: 168 male: 60.58 years
female: 68.01 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.85 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 78
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: Nauruan(s)
adjective: Nauruan
Ethnic groups:
Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%
Religions:
Nauru Congregational 35.4%, Roman Catholic 33.2%, Nauru Independent Church 10.4%, other 14.1%, none 4.5%, unspecified 2.4% (2002 census)
Languages:
Nauruan (official; a distinct Pacific Island language), English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes
Literacy:
NA
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years
male: 8 years
female: 9 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government ::Nauru
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
conventional short form: Nauru
local long form: Republic of Nauru
local short form: Nauru
former: Pleasant Island
Government type:
republic
Capital:
no official capital; government offices in Yaren District
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren
Independence:
31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN trusteeship)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 31 January (1968)
Constitution:
29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968
Legal system:
acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Marcus STEPHEN (since 19 December 2007); note - President Ludwig SCOTTY defeated in a no confidence vote in parliament on 19 December 2007
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of parliament
elections: president elected by parliament for a three-year term; election last held 19 December 2007 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
elections: last held 26 April 2008 (next to be held in 2011)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 18; note - President Marcus STEPHEN called a snap election to break a parliamentary stalemate blocking legislative action
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru Party (informal); Nauru First (Naoero Amo) Party; note - loose multiparty system
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Woman Information and News Agency (women's issues)
International organization participation:
ACP, ADB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene I. MOSES
chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, NY 10017
telephone: [1] (212) 937-0074
FAX: [1] (212) 937-0079
consulate(s): Agana (Guam)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji is accredited to Nauru
Flag description:
blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original tribes of Nauru
Economy ::Nauru
Economy - overview:
Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports of phosphates now significantly depleted. An Australian company in 2005 entered into an agreement intended to exploit remaining supplies. Few other resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia its former occupier and later major source of support. The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from phosphates are serious long-term problems. Reserves of phosphates may only last until 2010 at current mining rates. In anticipation of the exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of phosphate income were invested in trust funds to help cushion the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has frozen wages and reduced overstaffed public service departments. Nauru lost further revenue in 2008 with the closure of Australia's refugee processing center, making it almost totally dependent on food imports and foreign aid. Housing, hospitals, and other capital plant is deteriorating. The cost to Australia of keeping the government and economy afloat continues to climb. Few comprehensive statistics on the Nauru economy exist with estimates of Nauru's GDP varying widely.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$60 million (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 221
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,000 (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force - by occupation: