$NA
Agriculture - products:
cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers; beef, poultry
Industries:
food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco
Industrial production growth rate:
9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Electricity - production:
15.91 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 77
Electricity - consumption:
10.16 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Electricity - exports:
11.82 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
8.278 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 159
Oil - consumption:
16,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 179
Oil - imports:
13,760 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - production:
3.3 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Natural gas - consumption:
100 million cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Natural gas - exports:
3.2 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 30
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Natural gas - proved reserves:
127.4 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 50
Current account balance:
-$975.3 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 -$785.3 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$2.653 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 125 $2.412 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk electricity
Exports - partners:
Netherlands 55.5%, South Africa 9.2%, Zimbabwe 2.1% (2008)
Imports:
$3.458 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 133 $2.811 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
South Africa 27.4%, Netherlands 15.7%, China 4.3% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.578 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $1.445 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$3.826 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 112 $4.189 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
meticais (MZM) per US dollar - 24.125 (2008 est.), 26.264 (2007), 25.4 (2006), 23,061 (2005), 22,581 (2004)
note: in 2006 Mozambique revalued its currency, with 1000 old meticais equal to 1 new meticais
Communications ::Mozambique
Telephones - main lines in use:
78,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 150
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.405 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 92
Telephone system:
general assessment: fair system with an extremely low density of less than 1 fixed line per 100 persons
domestic: the telecommunications sector is shackled with a heavy state presence, lack of competition, and high operating costs and charges; stagnation in the fixed-line network contrasts with rapid growth in the mobile-cellular network; mobile-cellular coverage now includes all the main cities and key roads, including those from Maputo to the South African and Swaziland borders, the national highway through Gaza and Inhambane provinces, the Beira corridor, and from Nampula to Nacala
international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2008)
Internet country code:
.mz
Internet hosts:
21,388 (2009) country comparison to the world: 103
Internet users:
350,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 119
Transportation ::Mozambique
Airports:
105 (2009) country comparison to the world: 55
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 23
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 5 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 82
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 33
under 914 m: 39 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 918 km; refined products 278 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 4,787 km country comparison to the world: 37 narrow gauge: 4,787 km 1.067-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 30,400 km country comparison to the world: 96 paved: 5,685 km
unpaved: 24,715 km (2000)
Waterways:
460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa Lake) (2008) country comparison to the world: 85
Merchant marine:
total: 2 country comparison to the world: 147 by type: cargo 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Beira, Maputo, Nacala
Military ::Mozambique
Military branches:
Mozambique Armed Defense Forces (FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique
Navy (Marinha Mocambique, MM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de
Mocambique, FAM) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
19-35 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,545,975 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,366,897
females age 16-49: 2,209,764 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 263,994
female: 265,058 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
0.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 149
Transnational Issues ::Mozambique
Disputes - international:
none
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Mozambique is a source and, to a much lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation; the use of forced and bonded child laborers is a common practice in Mozambique's rural areas; women and girls are trafficked from rural to urban areas of Mozambique, as well as to South Africa, for domestic servitude and commercial sexual exploitation; young men and boys are trafficked to South Africa for farm work and mining
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for the second consecutive year, Mozambique is on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat human trafficking in 2007; while the government conducted investigations into cases of human trafficking, there were no prosecutions or convictions of traffickers; government efforts to protect victims of trafficking continued to suffer from limited resources and a lack of political commitment (2008)
Illicit drugs:
southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Namibia (Africa)
Introduction ::Namibia
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 became 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. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.
Geography ::Namibia
Location:
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Geographic coordinates:
22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 824,292 sq km country comparison to the world: 34 land: 823,290 sq km
water: 1,002 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than half the size of Alaska
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
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 0.99%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99% (2005)
Irrigated land:
80 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
45.5 cu km (1991)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (24%/5%/71%)
per capita: 148 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
prolonged periods of drought
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; desertification; wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip
People ::Namibia
Population:
2,108,665 country comparison to the world: 143 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.9% (male 381,904/female 375,059)
15-64 years: 60.2% (male 641,995/female 627,146)
65 years and over: 3.9% (male 36,894/female 45,667) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 21 years
male: 20.9 years
female: 21.1 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.95% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Birth rate:
22.51 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
Death rate:
13.3 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Net migration rate:
0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 70
Urbanization:
urban population: 37% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 45.51 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 55 male: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 41.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.24 years country comparison to the world: 205 male: 51.61 years
female: 50.86 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.69 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 84
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
15.3% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 5
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
200,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 31
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,100 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 44
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian
Ethnic groups:
black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups include Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Religions:
Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
Languages:
English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 85%
male: 86.8%
female: 83.5% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
male: 11 years
female: 11 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2003) country comparison to the world: 26
Government ::Namibia
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
local long form: Republic of Namibia
local short form: Namibia
former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Windhoek
geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
Administrative divisions:
13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa
Independence:
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution:
ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990
Legal system:
based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 21 March 2005)
head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of vote - Hifikepunye POHAMBA 76.4%, Den ULENGA 7.3%, Katuutire KAURA 5.1%, Kuaima RIRUAKO 4.2%, Justus GAROEB 3.8%, other 3.2%
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held 29-30 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2010); National Assembly - last held 15-16 November 2004 (next to be held in November 2009)
election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 89.7%, UDF 4.7%, NUDO 2.8%, DTA 1.9%, other 0.9%; seats by party - SWAPO 24, UDF 1, DTA 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 76.1%, COD 7.3%, DTA 5.1%, NUDO 4.2%, UDF 3.6%, RP 1.9%, MAG 0.8%, other 1.0%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, NUDO 3, UDF 3, RP 1, MAG 1
note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)
Political parties and leaders:
All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI]; Congress of
Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of
Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA]; Monitor Action Group or MAG [Jurie
VILJOEN]; National Democratic Movement for Change or NamDMC;
National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Kuaima RIRUAKO];
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Hidipo HAMUTENYA];
Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]; South West Africa National
Union or SWANU [Usutuaije MAAMBERUA]; South West Africa People's
Organization or SWAPO [Hifikepunye POHAMBA]; United Democratic Front
or UDF [Justus GAROEB]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Earthlife Namibia [Berthchen KOHRS] (environmentalist group);
National Society for Human Rights or NSHR; The World Information
Services of Energy or WISE (group against nuclear power)
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN,
UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO,
UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Patrick NANDAGO
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador G. Dennise MATHIEU
embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
telephone: [264] (61) 295-8500
FAX: [264] (61) 295-8603
Flag description:
a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green
Economy ::Namibia
Economy - overview:
The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 8% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin, silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the population while about half of the population depends on subsistence agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Increased payments from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) put Namibia's budget into surplus in 2007 for the first time since independence, but SACU payments will decline after 2008 as part of a new revenue sharing formula. Increased fish production and mining of zinc, copper, uranium, and silver spurred growth in 2003-07, but growth in recent years was undercut by poor fish catches and high costs for metal inputs.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$13.28 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 136 $12.9 billion (2007 est.)
$12.23 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.835 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 130 5.5% (2007 est.)
7.1% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$6,400 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 129 $6,200 (2007 est.)
$6,000 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 9%
industry: 37%
services: 54% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
686,000 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 47%
industry: 20%
services: 33% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Population below poverty line:
the UNDP's 2005 Human Development Report indicated that 34.9% of the population live on $1 per day and 55.8% live on $2 per day
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.5%
highest 10%: 64.5% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
70.7 (2003) country comparison to the world: 1
Investment (gross fixed):
23.4% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Budget:
revenues: $2.661 billion
expenditures: $2.745 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
20% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
10.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151 6.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
10% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 35 10.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13.74% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 61 12.88% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$1.983 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 $2.149 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$1.158 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 93 $1.493 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$3.43 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 86 $4.446 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$618.7 million (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 100 $702 million (31 December 2007)
$541.8 million (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
millet, sorghum, peanuts, grapes; livestock; fish
Industries:
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Industrial production growth rate:
0.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - production:
1.65 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 139
Electricity - consumption:
3.175 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Electricity - exports:
40 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.045 billion kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - consumption:
21,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - imports:
19,120 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 116
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 89
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 114
Natural gas - proved reserves:
62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Current account balance:
$239.8 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $693.2 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$3.167 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $2.922 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins
Imports:
$3.849 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127 $3.102 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$1.293 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121 $896 million (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$807.3 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 156 $1.003 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: