
About Namibia
Namibia can be divided into four distinct topographical
regions. The most definitive of the four is the Namib Desert, which
is one of the oldest deserts in the world and from which Namibia
derives its name. The Namib Desert covers approximately 15% of
Namibia's land with dune seas, gravel plains and deep canyons such
as the Fish River Canyon which is 160km in length, up to 27km wide
in places and reaches a depth of 550 metres.
The central region has landscapes ranging from rugged mountains
and rocky outcrops to sand filled valleys and endless plains. This
landscape gradually falls away towards the east and turns in
to the famous Kalahari Desert which sprawls into Botswana, Angola,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. In the north it broadens considerably to
include the plains around the Etosha Pan as well as Kavango
and Caprivi. Almost half the size of Lebanon, the Etosha Pan is big
enough to be classified as a saline desert.
Size: (Approx) 825,000 square kilometres
Population: (Approx) 2.3 million people
Capital: Windhoek
Languages: English, German, Afrikaans,
Rukwangali, Silozi, Setswana, Demara/Nama, Herero &
Oshiwambo
Religion: Christian, Judaism, Muslim, Buddhism
& Baha'i Faith.
Land borders: Angola, Zambia, Botswana &
South Africa.
Climate: Namibia's climate is typical of a
semi-desert terrain characterized by hot days and cool nights. The
coastal regions are generally cooler due to the Benguela current
and over the central plateau which is higher up, temperatures are
the lowest you'll find in the country.
Summer is from October to April
where temperatures can reach up to 40º C, these temperatures
however plummet at night to much cooler levels. Average daily
temperatures range from 20 to 34º C.
Winter spans from May to
September exhibiting wonderfully warm days,
contrasted by very cold nights. At this time of year temperatures
often drop below freezing over night.
Money: Namibian Dollar
Tipping: Tipping in Kenya is widely practiced,
many employees in the tourism industry will not be earning a large
basic wage and therefore rely on tips from customers to help
financially. See below a guide to whom you should tip and an
approximate amount to give:
Restaurants: 10% is the accepted tipping standard
providing service is not included in the bill
Parking & Petrol attendants: N$5 - N$8
Hotel Porters: N$2 per bag
Tour Guides & Drivers: Clients own
discretion
Formalities: For stays of up to 90 days a visa is
not required if you are a UK resident holding a UK passport. For
all other nationalities please check with the foreign office to
confirm what your visa requirements are.
Travel advice: The Foreign and Commonwealth
Office produce up-to-date information on countries around the
world. This can be checked on www.fco.gov.uk.
Climate