Namibia is a vast country, its surface area is 824 268 km², about 4 times the size of the United Kingdom and 27 times the size of Belgium.

Situated along the Atlantic seaboard on the south-western coast of the African sub-continent, Namibia borders Angola and Zambia in the north, South Africa in the south and south-east, Botswana in the east and Zimbabwe at the eastern extremity of Caprivi, the curiously-shaped panhandle consisting of water-rich riverine swamplands.

According to the last census (1991), Namibia has a population of just over 1,4 million and an annual population growth of about 3%.

The population density of 1,7 people per square kilometre is one of the lowest in the world. The population is, however, very unevenly distributed, with approximately 60% of the country's inhabitants living in the north with about one third in rural areas.

Namibia's inhabitants vary from a rural population of traditional hunter-gatherers, herders and farmers to a diverse urban population of semi-skilled, skilled and highly skilled workers, consisting of industrialists, traders, civil servants and individuals in a wide variety of professions.

The official language is English and all documents, notices and directional signs are in English.

German and Afrikaans are also used throughout the country and there are numerous African languages and dialects which fall into two main groups: Bantu and Khoisan.

All run on 220/240 volts.

Outlets are of the round 3-pin, 15 amp types.

Namibia has a dry climate typical of a semi-desert country, where droughts are a regular occurrence.

Days are generally warm to very hot, while nights are generally cool.

Midsummer temperature can rise to over 40°C.

Winter days are warm but dawn temperatures can drop to freezing.

Along the coast the cold Benguela current is also the prime determinant of the climate of the Namib, as it reduces rainfall and causes the omnipresent fog typical of the coast.

The rainy season lasts from October to April. The rest of the year is dry and cloudless.

All areas of Namibia average more than 300 days of sunshine a year!

Citizens from the following countries are exempted from visa requirements if they are entering Namibia as bona fide tourists and they meet the minimum requirements stipulated below:

Federal Republic of Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, France, United States of America, Canada, Japan, Commonwealth of Independent States, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Angola, Zambia, Botswana, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, Mozambique, the Scandinavian countries, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Singapore, Kenya, Brazil, Cuba and Malaysia.

Minimum Requirements for Tourists exempted from visa requirements to enter Namibia:

• To be in possession of a valid passport which is valid for at least 6 months beyond intended departure date from Namibia
• To be in possession of valid return / onward air ticket or proof of other means of transportation enabling him to leave Namibia
• Entry into Namibia will be permitted for a maximum period of 90 days, (extension possible on application to immigration authorities during stay in Namibia.)

(Visa information valid on 01 July 1998)