Article Outline
Namibia, formerly South West Africa, republic in south-western Africa, bordered on the north by Angola and Zambia, on the east by Botswana and South Africa, on the south by South Africa, and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The total land area is 824,269 sq km (318,252 sq mi). The capital of Namibia is Windhoek.
The land area of Namibia falls into three physiographical regions: a low-lying coastal belt, a central plateau, and the Kalahari desert. The coastal belt consists of the Namib Desert. It extends along the entire Atlantic coast and ranges from 100 to 160 km (60 to 100 mi) in width. To the east, the central plateau rises abruptly at the Great Escarpment. The plateau averages about 1,100 m (3,600 ft) above sea level, but rises in several mountainous areas to elevations greater than 1,800 m (5,900 ft). Along the eastern border is the Kalahari, a highland area containing vast sandy tracts, which extends into neighbouring Botswana.
The only permanent rivers are the Orange, Cunene, Cubanga (Okavango), and Zambezi, all of which form Namibia’s borders. The territory has virtually no other surface water.
Namibia is rich in mineral resources, among which are diamonds, uranium, copper, zinc, and lead. There is enormous potential for hydroelectric power, with the water volume of the Okavango river system exceeding that of all the rivers in South Africa.
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