Southwest Africa.

GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the first Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April).

824,292 sq km (318,261 sq miles).

2.11 million (2009).

2.6 per sq km.

Windhoek. Population: 300,000 (2009).

Namibia is a large and mainly arid country sharing borders with Angola to the north, Botswana to the east, and South Africa to the south. In the northeast corner of the country, the Caprivi Strip, a narrow panhandle of Namibian territory, juts out to form a border with Zambia and Zimbabwe. To the west is 1,280km (795 miles) of some of the most desolate and lonely coastline in the world. Along the entire length of the country, the huge shifting sand dunes of the Namib Desert spread inland for 80 to 130km (50 to 80 miles). 

In the interior, the escarpment of a north-south plateau slopes away to the east and north into the vast interior sand basin of the Kalahari. In the far northwest, the 66,000 sq km (25,500 sq miles) of the Kaokoland mountains run along the coast, while further inland lies the Etosha Pan (a dried-out saline lake), surrounded by grasslands and bush which support a large and varied wildlife. The Etosha National Park is one of the finest game reserves in Africa, remaining, to a large extent, free of human influence.

Republic. Gained independence from South Africa in 1990.

President Hifikepunye Pohamba since 2005.

Prime Minister Nahas Angula since 2005.

Namibia's ruling party, SWAPO (the South West Africa People's Organisation), has maintained an unbroken majority of over two thirds since 1990, when the country was granted independence from South Africa. In the most recent presidential elections, held in 2004, Hifikepunye Pohamba won a landslide victory. He was inaugurated in March 2005, taking over from Sam Nujoma, Namibia's first president. Pohamba intends to put himself forward for a second term at the next general elections, due to take place in November 2009. 

Pohamba has promised to pursue the land reforms formulated before independence and sought by Nujoma. However, the process of redistribution of land from the white minority to previously landless communities is hampered by the fact that the Namibian constitution does not permit land to be seized from landowners unwilling to sell.

Until the global financial crisis, Namibia, whose economy is closely linked to that of South Africa, was enjoying slow but steady economic growth, with tourism becoming an increasingly significant source of revenue. The government is taking steps to tackle the onslaught of HIV/AIDS and improve educational opportunities for ordinary Namibians, around half of whom are subsistence farmers and herders with minimal cash income.

English is the official language but is the first language of only 7% of the population. Afrikaans, the lingua franca, is the first language of most of the white population. German, Herero, Kavango, Nama and Ovambo are also spoken.

Christian (80 - 90%) and indigenous beliefs (10 - 20%).

220 volts AC, 50hz. Outlets are of the South African three-pin type (two small round pins over one larger round pin).

In urban areas, western customs prevail; normal courtesies should be shown when visiting someone’s home. In rural settlements, visitors should follow the advice of a local guide.