STATISTICS: NAMIBIA

Namibia Official name: Republic of Namibia. Form of government: republic with two legislative houses (National Council{1} ; National Assembly ). Head of state and government: President. Capital: Windhoek. Official language: English. Official religion: none. Monetary unit: 1 Namibian dollar (N$) = 100 cents; valuation (Sept. 25, 1998) 1 U.S.$ = N$5.83; 1 = N$ 9.93. Demography Population (1998): 1,622,000. Density (1998): persons per sq mi 5.1, persons per sq km 2.0. Urban-rural (1996): urban 38.5%; rural 61.5%. Sex distribution (1996): male 49.75%; female 50.25%. Age breakdown (1991): under 15, 41.7%; 15-29, 28.8%, 30-44, 14.7%; 45-59, 7.8%; 60-74, 5.3%; 75 and over, 1.7%. Population projection: (2000) 1,674,000; (2010) 1,915,000. Doubling time: 27 years. Ethnic composition (1991): Ovambo 50.7%; Nama 12.5%; Kavango 9.7%; Herero 8.0%; San (Bushman) 1.9%; Tswana 0.4%; other 16.8%. Religious affiliation (1995): Lutheran 51.4%; Roman Catholic 16.6%; African Christian 7.0%; Anglican 5.6%; other 19.4%. Major cities (1990): Windhoek 125,000; Swakopmund 15,500; Rundu 15,000; Rehoboth 15,000; Keetmanshoop 14,000. Vital statistics Birth rate per 1,000 population (1990-95): 37.5 (world avg. 25.0). Death rate per 1,000 population (1990-95): 11.9 (world avg. 9.3). Natural increase rate per 1,000 population (1990-95): 25.6 (world avg. 15.7). Total fertility rate (avg. births per childbearing woman; 1990-95): 5.7. Life expectancy at birth (1990-95): male 57.5 years; female 60.0 years. Major causes of death per 100,000 population: n.a.; however, in the early 1990s, tuberculosis had become a serious problem (especially in the southern regions); AIDS cases, while few, were increasing exponentially. National economy Budget (1996-97). Revenue: N$4,459,400,000 (customs taxes 30.2%, individual income taxes 16.5%, general sales tax 14.3%, nontax revenues 10.5%, mining taxes 3.1%). Expenditures: N$5,072,600,000 (education 23.2%, health and welfare 10.3%, transportation 6.1%, defense 5.8%, social security 5.4%). Tourism (1995): receipts from visitors U.S.$263,000,000; expenditures by nationals abroad U.S.$82,000,000. Public debt (1997): U.S.$697,000,000. Production (metric tons except as noted). Agriculture, forestry, fishing (1997): roots and tubers 230,000, cereals 168,000 (of which millet 107,000, corn 47,000, sorghum 10,000, wheat 4,100), fruits 10,000, vegetables and melons 9,000, pulses 8,000, wool 3,026{3}, karakul pelts 770,627 units{4}; livestock (number of live animals; 1996) 2,136,545 sheep, 2,084,396 cattle, 1,670,822 goats; fish catch (1995) 285,980. Mining and quarrying (1996): diamonds 1,420,000 carats (mostly gem quality); zinc 69,689; copper 20,705; lead 18,845; uranium 2,886; silver 1,350,500 troy oz; gold 70,417 troy oz. Manufacturing: n.a.; products include cut gems (primarily diamonds), fur products (karakul), processed foods (fish, meats, and dairy products), textiles, carved wood products, refined metals (copper and lead). Construction (value of buildings completed in N$'000,000; 1994): residential 347.7; nonresidential 160.4. Energy production (consumption): electricity (kW-hr; 1992) 1,714,000,000 (1,714,000,000); coal, none (n.a.); crude petroleum, none (n.a.). Population economically active: total (1991) 493,580; activity rate of total population, 34.9% (participation rates: ages 15-64, 61.3%; female 43.5%; unemployed 20.1%). Household income and expenditure. Average household size (1991) 5.2; average annual income per household (1980) R 3,223 (U.S.$4,143); sources of income (1992): wages and salaries 69.0%, income from property 25.6%, transfer payments 5.4%; expenditure: n.a. Gross national product (1996): US$3,569,000,000 (U.S.$2,250 per capita). Land use (1994): forested 15.2%; meadows and pastures 46.2%; agricultural and under permanent cultivation 0.8%; other 37.8%. Foreign trade Imports (1994): N$4,467,700,000 (machinery and transport equipment 27.1%, of which transport equipment 16.2%; food and live animals 22.3%; minerals and fuels 11.4%; chemical products 8.1%). Major import sources (1993): South Africa 87.0%{5}; Germany 3.0%; France 2.0%; Japan 2.0%. Exports (1994): N$4,692,000,000 (minerals 50.1%, of which diamonds 31.4%; food and live animals 47.0%, of which fish and fish products 28.6%, cattle and meat products 12.6%; karakul pelts 0.2%). Major export destinations (1993): United Kingdom 34.0%; South Africa 27.0%; Japan 10.0%; Spain 6.0%. Transport Transport. Railroads: length (1995) 1,480 mi, 2,382 km; passenger-km 34,700,000; metric ton-km 1,077,000,000. Roads (1995): total length 25,130 mi, 40,450 km (paved 12%). Vehicles (1995): passenger cars 62,500; trucks and buses 66,500. Merchant marine (1992): vessels (100 gross tons and over) 30; total deadweight tonnage 5,874. Air transport (1996){6}: passenger-km 756,000,000; metric ton-km cargo 23,000,000; airports (1997) with scheduled flights 11. Education and health Educational attainment (1991). Percentage of population age 25 and over having: no formal schooling 35.1%; primary education 31.9%; secondary 28.5%; higher 4.5%. Literacy (1991): total population age 15 and over literate 622,436 (75.8%); males literate 305,926 (77.7%); females literate 316,510 (73.9%). Health: physicians (1992) 324 (1 per 4,594 persons); hospital beds (1989) 6,997 (1 per 216 persons); infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (1993) 63.8. Food (1995): daily per capita caloric intake 2,107 (vegetable products 88%, animal products 12%); 92% of FAO recommended minimum requirement. Military Total active duty personnel (1997): 5,800 (army 98.3%, navy 1.7%{7}). Military expenditure as percentage of GNP (1995): 1.6% (world 2.8%); per capita expenditure U.S.$39. {1} Mostly an advisory body. {2} 72 elected and up to 6 appointed members. {3} 1994. {4} 1987. {5} Includes goods from other countries shipped via South Africa. {6} Namib Air only. {7} Coast Guard for fishery protection.