Namibia
Updated: Sep 22, 2022
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Country Name
Namibia, or officially the Republic of Namibia.
Location
Namibia is located in southern Africa. Namibia is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south and east. Although it does not border Zimbabwe, less than 200 meters (660 feet) of the Zambezi River separates the two countries.
Capital
Windhoek.
The reason for naming the country
The name of the country is derived from the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world. The name Namib itself is of Nama origin and means "vast place".
Flag
The flag of Namibia was adopted on 21 March 1990 upon independence from South Africa.
The used colors in the flag are blue, green, red, yellow, and white.
The Namibia flag is a diagonal red band on both corners of a triangle, The left upper triangle is blue, and it contains a yellow sun, and the triangle
on the right is green.
The Red color represents the determination of Namibia to build a future of equal opportunity for all, the White color represents peace and unity, The Green color represents vegetation and agricultural resources, the Blue color represents the clear Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean, and the country's precious water resources, and rain, and the yellow sun represents life and energy.
Language
The languages English, German, and Afrikaans were the official languages of Namibia. However, after Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990, the new government allowed only the English language as the official language and it was mentioned in the constitution of the country. English is now used in government administration and is the medium of instruction in schools and universities. The most common languages are Oshiwambo -the most spoken language-, Khoekhoegowab, Afrikaans, RuKwangali, and Otjiherero. The most widely understood national language is Afrikaans, the country's lingua franca. Both Afrikaans and English are used primarily as a second language reserved for public communication.
Religion
Namibia is a secular state, The constitution allows for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right. The Christian community makes up 80%–90% of the population of Namibia, with about half being Protestant, of which at least 50% are Lutheran. Lutherans are the largest religious group, there are also Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, African Methodist Episcopal, Dutch Reformed, and Latter-day Saints. Namibia is home to small Muslim & Jews Communities.
Currency
Namibian Dollar (NAD)
South African rand (ZAR).
Time Zone
+02:00 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary dominant-party semi-presidential republic.
Climate
Namibia has a sub-tropical climate, desert along the coast and in the south, and arid, but with a rainy season from November to March, in inland north-central areas and the northeast. The country is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn, but a cold current, flows along the coast, while the interior is occupied by a plateau. As a result, the climate is cooler and drier. Nevertheless, it can get hot in summer, especially at some distance from the sea and in areas located at not too high altitudes. There may be blistering days from September to March in the north, from November to January in Windhoek, which is located at a pretty high altitude, and from September to April or early May in the center-south. On the contrary, during winter, the plateau can get cold at night, with possible light frosts everywhere. The best time to visit Namibia as a whole is the austral winter, from May to August: it's a dry and sunny period, and it's the only one that allows you to avoid the intense heat; on the plateau, however, nights are cold.