Background:   
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a 
mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's
Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named 
Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN 
peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990 following multi-party elections and the 
establishment of a constitution. President Nujoma is currently serving his third term as president.
  
Location:   
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa  

Geographic coordinates:   
22 00 S, 17 00 E  

Area:    
total: 825,418 sq km 
land: 825,418 sq km 
water: 0 sq km  

Land boundaries:   
total: 3,936 km 
border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km  

Coastline:   
1,572 km  

Climate:   
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic  

Terrain:   
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east  

Elevation extremes:   
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m 
highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m  

Natural resources:   
diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, 
vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish 

Population:    
1,954,033