Geography
The Republic of Namibia is in Southern Africa. The country is bordered by Angola, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa and the South Atlantic Ocean.

Windhoek is the capital city and Walvis Bay is Namibia's main port.

Nambia's terrain is mainly high plateau with desert (Namib and Kalahari). Rivers include the Fish, Okavango, Orange and Zambezi.

The climate ranges from arid, semi-arid, temperate to subtropical.

Environment
Namibia's landscape is varied. The country has a long coastline, deserts, savannah, forests, woodlands, mountains and canyons. The Namib Desert is said to be the world's oldest desert and the Fish River Canyon in Namibia is one of the most spectacular canyons in the world.

The protection of the environment is incorporated into Namibia's Constitution. The National Parks and Game Reserves are managed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The largest conservation area is the Namib-Naukluft Park and the Etosha National Park is one of Africa's most important wildlife sanctuaries.

Wildlife found in Namibia includes the antelope, buffalo, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, leopard, lion and rhinoceros. Walvis Bay Lagoon is an important habitat for coastal birds and the Cape Cross seal reserve has a large colony of fur seals.

Architecture
Luderitz, on the Atlantic coast, was the first German Colonial town in South West Africa. Examples of turn-of-the century German architecture can also be seen in the capital city of Windhoek. Some of the capital's modern buildings are still influenced by the German style.

The Namibian Institute of Architects presents a biannual Merit Award for modern architecture in Namibia and organises events to highlight the work of Namibian architects.

Population
The population of Namibia was estimated at 2.5 million in 2016.

Languages
English is the official language and is spoken by seven percent of the population. Most of the people speak Afrikaans. Other languages are German and the indigenous languages of Herero, Nama and Oshivambo.

Religion
A large percentage of the people are Christians and some have indigenous beliefs.

Food
Namibian cuisine is known for the use of game such as venison. Namibia is also an important producer of beef and mutton. Seafood is available from the country's coastal region.

The German colonial period has left a legacy of a variety of sausages, breads, cakes and pastries, whilst the South African influence can be seen in foods such as biltong (air-dried meat).

Traditional food includes porridge and soup made from cornmeal, millet or cassava, supplemented by fish or meat stew, vegetables and milk products.

Wine is produced locally and beer made from marula fruit is a favourite during the marula harvest.

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