Geography

Namibia Sand dunes just south of Walvis Bay and habitat of the endemic Dune Lark Certhilauda erythrochlamys

Photo: John Caddick

The Republic of Namibia, located on the west coast of Africa, is a large arid country of over 825,000 km2 bordered by South Africa and Botswana to the south and east respectively, while Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe hug Namibia's Caprivi Strip to the north and north-east.

The broad geographical variation within the country can be divided into four regions, namely: Namib Desert and Coastal Plain; the eastward-sloping Central Plateau; the Kalahari Sands; and the woodland regions of the Kavango and Caprivi.

The highest point is Konigstein at 2,606 m. The cold, nutrient-rich Benguela current which flows along Namibia's 1,572 km coastline is responsible for the harsh, dry conditions of the Namib Desert, the world's oldest arid region. The climate is hot dry desert with rainfall sparse and erratic.

With a population of under 2 million people, Namibia is one of the least densely populated countries in the whole of Africa. 7% of the population speak English, the official language, whilst Afrikaans is a common language of most of the population, 32% are German speaking and there are a number of indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama. More details can be found at CIA Factbook.