LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Namibia: Central Namibia
built 615 days ago
Namibia is a land of unspoiled nature, rich wildlife, abundant sunshine and compelling beauty. The wide horizons and endless blue skies give visitors a sense of freedom and feeling of tranquility. The combination of stillness and vivid colors attract a growing number of visitors from around the world. Famous for its contrasting landscapes, Namibia gives visitors a wide choice of activities and scenery. From the desolate Namib Desert, said to be the oldest desert in the world, to the thornbush savannas of the central plateau, Namibia will give you a whole new sense of space. Although Namibia has one of the lowest population densities in Africa, it is home to a diverse group of people of numerous backgrounds.
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Namibia, situated along the Atlantic Ocean in southwestern Africa, is the most arid sub-Saharan country. Mountain ranges in the south and west of the central plateau give way to one of the world's two coastal deserts, the Namib in the east and the Kalahari in the west. The San or Bushmen are recognised as the original inhabitants, with different Bantu tribes (Ovambo, Herero, Kavango) migrating from central Africa around 1600-1700. The first missionaries arrived in 1842.
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Other Program Elements: The USAID program in Namibia is augmented by three centrally-funded activities under the African Education Initiative (AEI). AEI provided $1.35 million in FY 2004 for strengthening pre- and in-service teacher training. This activity, which began in late FY 2004, aims to provide 500,000 textbooks to disadvantaged Namibian school children in targeted regions over a two-year period. AEI ... provided $315,000 in FY04 for the Ambassadors' Girls Scholarship Program which will allow 950 disadvantaged girls to attend school.
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Namibia can be divided into three physical regions: a low-lying coastal belt, a central plateau, and the Kalahari Desert. The coastal belt consists of the Namib Desert. It extends along the entire Atlantic coast and ranges from 100 to 160 km (about 60 to 100 mi) in width. On the east, the central plateau rises abruptly at the Great Escarpment. The plateau averages about 1,100 m (about 3,600 ft) in elevation, but climbs to elevations of more than 1,800 m (5,900 ft) in several mountainous areas. Along the eastern border is the Kalahari Desert.
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Namibia has a population of 1.8 million (2001 census), reaching a projected two million by 2007 (Central Bureau of Statistics). The population growth rate is 2.6 percent a year, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). About 70 percent live in rural areas and 30 percent are urban residents. Forty percent of the population are younger than 15. The fertility rate is 4.1 children per woman, with the under-five child mortality rate at 71 per 1,000. Maternal mortality is 300 per 100,000 live births, according to the 2004 UN Common Country Assessment.
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Namibia's center is occupied by a high escarpment plain. Windhoek, the capital and the only city of any size, is located smack dab in the middle of the country. In the northern part of the central plain is the Waterberg Plateau, a 150 sq. mi. (400 sq. km) shelf that rises 150 metres straight from the surrounding plain. The plateau is well-watered and lush, and is home to several rare and endangered species. At Namibia's southern tip is yet another geological wonder--the immense Fish River Canyon. Second only to the Grand Canyon in size, Fish River Canyon offers magnificent vistas and great--though strenuous--hiking.
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Central Namibia