The Courier N° 127 May - June 1991- Dossier 'New' ACP Export Products - Country Reports Cape Verde - Namibia (EC Courier, 1991, 104 p.): Country reports: Namibia: Meeting challenge of nationhood: Profile

The Courier N° 127 May - June 1991- Dossier 'New' ACP Export Products - Country Reports Cape Verde - Namibia (EC Courier, 1991, 104 p.)

Country reports

Namibia: Meeting challenge of nationhood

		(introduction...)
		Consolidating democracy
		An interview with Prime Minister Geingob: partnership with business to create wealth
		An interview with Vice-President Marin: the political and constitutional success of Namibia is now a model for change in Africa
		An interview with Dr Ben Amathila, Minister for Trade and Industry: added value equals greater prosperity
		Agriculture and fisheries - managing the transition
		Mining - the economic foundation
		Wealth in the desert
		Education in Namibia - bridging the divide by Dr Ian G. MACFARLANE
		Profile
		Namibia and the European Community
		Planning for development - a man with a mission

Profile

Namibia

GEOGRAPHY

Area:	824 000 km², consisting mainly of desert, semi-desert and dry savanna.
Population:	1,5 million (approx)
Capital:	Windhoek (120 000)

ECONOMY

GDP (1989)	R 4326.2 m ($1.7 ten)
Per capita GDP (1988)	$1273 Balance of payments

Exports (1989-merchandise)	R 2671.6 m ($1.02 ten)

including
- diamonds	R 814m
- other minerals (mainly
uranium and copper)	R 1213 m
- cattle	R 155 m

Imports (1989-merchandise)	R 2339.6 m ($0.89 ten)

(includes manufactured products processed foods, mechanical equipment etc)

Trade balance	R 332.0 m
Overall balance of payments
(including services and other ‘invisibles’)	R 98.7 m

Budget (1990-91)

Government income	R2366m

Government expenditure	R 2576 m
Deficit	R 210 m
Government debt (March 1989) (external and domestic)	R 893.6 m

SOCIAL INDICATORS

In the fields of education and health, independent Namibia has a legacy of inequalities bequeathed by the previous apartheid system. In the former ‘white areas’, high quality facilities for schooling and health care exist. Former ‘coloured’ areas also have reasonable provision but elsewhere, and particularly in the north of the country, health and education facilities are inadequate and there is a shortage of trained personnel. Equality before the law has been introduced but equality in practice will take time to achieve.

As regards transport, Namibia has a first-class network of arterial roads but many secondary routes in the north are in a poor condition. The total network is 41 715 km (including 4382 km tarred and 28089 km gravel). There are also 2341 route km of railway.

Unemployment, which is a particularly serious problem in the black communities, is estimated to be between 30% and 40%. The Namibian economy has a substantial informal sector.