Southern Africa
Discover Africa's most breathtaking destinations — where desert elephants roam, ancient dunes tower, and traditional cultures thrive.
Sub-Saharan Africa
Most Tourist-Friendly
25%
World's Cheetahs
1990
Independence
13
Ethnic Groups
Africa's Most Photographed Landscapes
Of all the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, Namibia is arguably the most comprehensively tourist-friendly. Not only does it have exceptional wildlife — including a quarter of the world's cheetahs and the last free-ranging population of black rhino — and a well-developed network of parks, reserves and safari lodges, but the landscapes of its coastline and deserts are some of the most photographed and gasped over in the world, meriting a visit in their own right.
Traditional culture remains strong here despite successive colonial occupations by Germany and then South Africa (Namibia gained independence from the latter in 1990) and, for many visitors, meeting the Himba people in the far north-west, or the San (formerly Bushmen) of the Kalahari, is an enriching and humbling experience.
General Information
Surface Area
824,268 km²
Capital
Windhoek
Current President
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Government
Multiparty Parliament
State
Secular – Freedom of Religion
Press
Freedom of Press/Media
Drinking Water
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Most tap water is purified and safe to drink.
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Visitors should exercise caution in rural areas.
Bottled water is available almost everywhere.
Medical Services
International SOS – Windhoek
Netcare – Windhoek
Swakopmund
Tsumeb
Walvis Bay
061 230 808 / 249 777
061 22 333 0
064 400 700
081 128 5501
064 200 200
Fun Facts About Namibia
Cheetah Capital
Namibia is home to the world's largest population of free roaming cheetahs (~2,500–3,000).
Ancient Desert
The country gets its name from the Namib Desert – one of the world's oldest deserts. Scientists have identified that sand has existed in the desert for over a million years!
Sparsely Populated
Namibia is the second least densely populated country in the world. It has a population of ~2 million in a country more than twice the size of Germany. Only Mongolia is less populous.
Skeleton Coast
Named for whale and seal skeletons lining the coast, it's famous for shipwrecks due to blinding fog. Over 1,000 ships met their end here.
Independence
Namibia was a German colony, then captured by South Africa in World War I. It became independent in 1990 – just over 25 years ago.
13 Ethnic Groups
Despite its low population, Namibia is home to 13 different ethnic groups – including the Himba, a nomadic people whose ways have changed little over the years due to their seclusion. They only came into contact with Western influences 15 years ago.
Constitutional Protection
Namibia is the first country in the world to incorporate environmental protection into its Constitution, resulting in many community-based tourism initiatives that provide social and monetary benefits.
Desert Elephants
Namibia is one of only two countries in the world with desert elephants! They've adapted by developing a smaller body mass, longer legs and larger feet – enabling them to travel for miles across sand dunes to reach water.
Sandboarding Capital
Namibia has two styles of sandboarding: lying down and heading down the dune headfirst (reaching up to 80km/hr!) or standing up, which is slower but more difficult to master.
Sossusvlei Dunes
Sossusvlei Sand Dunes are some of the highest in the world. Big Daddy is the largest at ~325m. Don't miss Dune 45, known as the most photographed dune in the world.
These majestic structures are formed by intense ocean winds carrying ancient Kalahari sand, giving them a distinct rich orange and deep rust coloration.
Black Rhinos
Namibia boasts the world's largest population of free-roaming black rhinos. It holds roughly 35% of the planet's remaining wild population, serving as a global stronghold for the critically endangered south-western black rhino subspecies (Diceros bicornis bicornis)
Endless Coastline
Namibia endless coastline - The Namibian coastline spans 1,572 kilometers (977 miles) along the South Atlantic Ocean. It is celebrated globally as one of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth, where the soaring, rust-golden dunes of the ancient Namib Desert collapse directly into the crashing, icy waves of the sea.
