正式名稱那米比亞共和國（Republic of Namibia）
舊稱西南非（South-West Africa, 1915～1968）
非洲西南沿海國家。面積825,118平方公里。人口約1,798,000（2001）。首都︰文豪克。境內一半以上人口為奧萬博人（Ovambo），其餘為納馬人（Nama）、卡萬戈人（Kavango）、赫雷羅人（Herero）和桑人（San）。語言︰英語（官方語）、阿非利堪斯語、班圖語和德語。宗教：基督教，信仰萬物有靈。貨幣︰那米比亞元（N$）。全境可分為三大地理區︰那米比沙漠、中部高原和喀拉哈里沙漠。經濟主要以農業和鑽石生產與出口為基礎。政府形式為共和國，兩院制。國家元首暨政府首腦為總統。
由當地居民長期居住，15世紀後期被葡萄牙人發現。1885年被德國兼併為德屬西南非。第一次世界大戰中被南非佔領，1918年南非接受國際聯盟委任，管理該地。第二次世界大戰後，南非拒絕交出委任統治權。1966年聯合國決議結束委任統治，1970年代和1980年代遭到南非挑戰。經長期談判，並牽涉到許多派系鬥爭和利害關係，終在1990年獲得獨立。
Namibia
formerly (1915-68)South-West AfricaNation, southwestern coast of Africa. Area: 318,580 sq mi (825,118 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 1,727,000. Capital: Windhoek. More than half the people are Ovambo. Others include Nama, Kavango, Herero, and San. Languages: English, (official), Afrikaans, Bantu, German. Religions: Christianity, animism. Currency: Namibian dollar. Namibia may be divided into three broad regions: the Namib Desert, the Central Plateau, and the Kalahari Desert. The economy is based largely on agriculture and on the production and export of diamonds. It is a republic with two legislative houses; its head of state and government is the president. long inhabited by indigenous peoples, it was explored by the Portuguese in the late 15th century. In 1885 it was annexed by Germany as German Southwest Africa. It was captured in World War I by South Africa, which received it as a mandate from the League of Nations in 1918 and refused to give it up after World War II. A U.N. resolution in 1966 ending the mandate was challenged by South Africa in the 1970s and '80s. Through long negotiations involving many factions and interests, it achieved independence in 1990.
