Surface area: 825,418 km2
Inhabitants: 2.3 million
Life expectancy: 51 years
Population growth: 1.3 %
Unemployment rate: 35 %
Capital: Windhoek, about 300,000 inhabitants
Languages: official language English, the most spoken laguages Oshiwambo 50%, Rukavango 9%, Otjiherero, Khoikhoi-gowab (Nama-damara) and many other Bantu and Khoisan languages, Afrikaans.
Religion: about 90% of the population is Christian (the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Dutch Reformed Church, Pentecostalism etc.). The pioneers of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission arrived in Namibia in 1869 and in Ovamboland in 1870.
Economy: stock raising, agriculture in the north of the country, deep-sea fishing, mining (e.g. diamonds, uranium, copper), tourism, trade.
Unit of money: Namibian dollar.
GDP (purchasing power parity) per capita: USD 7,300 (2011), very unequally distributed between a rich minority and a poor majority.
Government type: republic. President: Hifikepunye Pohamba.
Independence:
Namibia became independent on March 21st, 1990, after a long-drawn-out war. The implementation of the settlement plan (Resolution 435) was overseen by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Martti Ahtisaari.
Tourism:
Most tourists come from southern Africa and Europe. The most popular destinations are the Etosha National Park, the Sossusvlei dunes, other national parks and nature reserves, the coastal town of Swakopmund, and the surf fishing areas. The main roads are good (left hand traffic, several car hire services). Hotels and restaurants are of high standard. Air Namibia flights from Frankfurt several times a week, in addition daily flights through Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Development coperation: In the past, Namibia was a recipient of Finland's bilateral aid. Finland has ended the bilateral aid and shifted the focus on other types of support such as development of trade, institutional cooperation, support for Namibian civil society and promotion of tourism.
Embassy of Finland in Namibia
Embassy of Namibia in Finland and the Baltic countries: Embassy of Namibia in Stockholm, Sweden For Finnish citizens there is no requirement for visa, if staying less than 3 months in Namibia per year.
|