Aminet 6/Aminet 6 - June 1995.iso/Aminet/docs/misc/wfbook93_texi.lha/texi/167.data

Text File | 1995-03-27 | 9.7 KB | 380 lines

@node Geography (Namibia)
@section Geography (Namibia)

@display

Location:
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Angola and South
  Africa
Map references:
  Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:  total area:
  824,290 km2
 land area:
  823,290 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries:
  total 3,935 km, Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 966 km,
  Zambia 233 km
Coastline:
  1,489 km
Maritime claims:
 contiguous zone:
  24 nm
 exclusive economic zone:
  200 nm
 territorial sea:
  12 nm
International disputes:
  short section of boundary with Botswana is indefinite; disputed island with
  Botswana in the Chobe River; quadripoint with Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
  is in disagreement; claim by Namibia to Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands
  administered by South Africa; Namibia and South Africa have agreed to
  jointly administer the area for an interim period; the terms and dates to be
  covered by joint administration arrangements have not been established at
  this time, and Namibia will continue to maintain a claim to sovereignty over
  the entire area; recent dispute with Botswana over uninhabited Kasikili
  (Sidudu) Island in the Linyanti River
Climate:
  desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain:
  mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Natural resources:
  diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt,
  vanadium, natural gas, fish; suspected deposits of oil, natural gas, coal,
  iron ore
Land use:
 arable land:
  1%
 permanent crops:
  0%
 meadows and pastures:
  64%
 forest and woodland:
  22%
 other:
  13%
Irrigated land:
  40 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
  inhospitable with very limited natural water resources; desertification
Note:
  Walvis Bay area is an exclave of South Africa in Namibia



@end display

@node People (Namibia)
@section People (Namibia)

@display

Population:
  1,541,321 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  3.46% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  43.77 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  9.13 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  63.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  61.2 years
 male:
  58.57 years
 female:
  63.91 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  6.46 children born/woman (1993 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
Religions:
  Christian
Languages:
  English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population
  and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages
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.)



@end display

@node Government (Namibia)
@section Government (Namibia)

@display

Names:
 conventional long form:
  Republic of Namibia
 conventional short form:
  Namibia
Digraph:
  WA
Type:
  republic
Capital:
  Windhoek
Administrative divisions:
  13 districts; Erango, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Liambezi, Ohanguena,
  Okarango, Omaheke, Omusat, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
 note:
  the 26 districts were Bethanien, Boesmanland, Caprivi Oos, Damaraland,
  Gobabis, Grootfontein, Hereroland Oos, Hereroland Wes, Kaokoland, Karasburg,
  Karibib, Kavango, Keetmanshoop, Luderitz, Maltahohe, Mariental, Namaland,
  Okahandja, Omaruru, Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Owambo, Rehoboth, Swakopmund,
  Tsumeb, Windhoek
Independence:
  21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
Constitution:
  ratified 9 February 1990
Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Political parties and leaders:
  South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Sam NUJOMA; DTA of Namibia
  (DTA; formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia), Dirk MUDGE; United
  Democratic Front (UDF), Justus GAROEB; Action Christian National (ACN),
  Kosie PRETORIUS; National Patriotic Front (NPF), Moses KATJIUONGUA; Federal
  Convention of Namibia (FCN), Hans DIERGAARDT; Namibia National Front (NNF),
  Vekuii RUKORO
Other political or pressure groups:
  NA
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 President:
  last held 16 February 1990 (next to be held March 1995); results - Sam
  NUJOMA was elected president by the Constituent Assembly (now the National
  Assembly)
 National Assembly:
  last held on 7-11 November 1989 (next to be held by November 1994); results
  - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (72 total) SWAPO 41, DTA 21, UDF 4,
  ACN 3, NNF 1, FCN 1, NPF 1
 National Council:
  last held 30 November-3 December 1992 (next to be held by December 1998);
  seats - (26 total) SWAPO 19, DTA 6, UDF 1
Executive branch:
  president, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of an upper house or National Council and a
  lower house or National Assembly
Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court



@end display

@node Government (Namibia 2. usage)
@section Government (Namibia 2. usage)

@display

Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Sam NUJOMA (since 21 March 1990)
Member of:
  ACP, C, ECA, FAO, FLS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IOM
  (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Tuliameni KALOMOH
 chancery:
  1605 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (mailing address is PO Box
  34738, Washington, DC 20043)
 telephone:
  [phone]
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Charge d'Affaires Marshall MCCAULEY
 embassy:
  Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen St., Windhoek
 mailing address:
  P. O. Box 9890, Windhoek 9000
 telephone:
  [264] (61) 221-601, 222-675, 222-680
 FAX:
  [264] (61) 229-792
Flag:
  a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left section,
  and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right section; the
  triangles are separated by a red stripe that is contrasted by two narrow
  white-edge borders



@end display

@node Economy (Namibia)
@section Economy (Namibia)

@display

Overview:
  The economy is heavily dependent on the mining industry to extract and
  process minerals for export. Mining accounts for almost 25% of GDP. Namibia
  is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa and the world's
  fifth-largest producer of uranium. Alluvial diamond deposits are among the
  richest in the world, making Namibia a primary source for gem-quality
  diamonds. Namibia also produces large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver,
  and tungsten. More than half the population depends on agriculture (largely
  subsistence agriculture) for its livelihood.

















National product:
  GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
  2% (1992 est.)
National product per capita:
  $1,300 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10% (1992) in urban area
Unemployment rate:
  25-35% (1992)
Budget:
  revenues $864 million; expenditures $1,112 million, including capital
  expenditures of $144 million (FY 92)
Exports:
  $1.184 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
 commodities:
  diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium, cattle, processed fish, karakul
  skins
 partners:
  Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Japan
Imports:
  $1.238 billion (f.o.b., 1991)



@end display

@node Economy (Namibia 2. usage)
@section Economy (Namibia 2. usage)

@display

 commodities:
  foodstuffs, petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment
 partners:
  South Africa, Germany, US, Switzerland
External debt:
  about $220 million (1992 est.)
Industrial production:   growth rate 4.9% (1991); accounts for 35% of GDP, including mining
Electricity:
  490,000 kW capacity; 1,290 million kWh produced, 850 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
  meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, mining (copper, lead, zinc,
  diamond, uranium)
Agriculture:
  accounts for 15% of GDP; mostly subsistence farming; livestock raising major
  source of cash income; crops - millet, sorghum, peanuts; fish catch
  potential of over 1 million metric tons not being fulfilled, 1988 catch
  reaching only 384,000 metric tons; not self-sufficient in food
Economic aid:
  Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87),
  $47.2 million
Currency:
  1 South African rand (R) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
  South African rand (R) per US$1 - 3.1576 (May 1993), 2.8497 (1992), 2.7653
  (1991), 2.5863 (1990), 2.6166 (1989), 2.2611 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March



@end display

@node Communications (Namibia)
@section Communications (Namibia)

@display

Railroads:
  2,341 km 1.067-meter gauge, single track
Highways:
  54,500 km; 4,079 km paved, 2,540 km gravel, 47,881 km earth roads and tracks
Ports:
  Luderitz; primary maritime outlet is Walvis Bay (South Africa)
Airports:
 total:
  137
 usable:
  112
 with permanent-surface runways:
  21
 with runways over 3,659 m:
  1
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  4
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  62
Telecommunications:
  good urban, fair rural services; radio relay connects major towns, wires
  extend to other population centers; 62,800 telephones; broadcast stations -
  4 AM, 40 FM, 3 TV



@end display

@node Defense Forces (Namibia)
@section Defense Forces (Namibia)

@display

Branches:
  National Defense Force (Army), Police
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 324,599; fit for military service 192,381 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $66 million, 3.4% of GDP (FY92)



@end display