Geography of Namibia

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Detailed map of Namibia based on the radar map shown below.

Satellite image of Namibia, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

This Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) image is centred over the Namib Desert. Credit ESA.

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: 825 418 km²
land: 825 418 km²
water: 0 km²

Land boundaries:
total: 3 824 km
border countries: Angola 1 376 km, Botswana 1 360 km, South Africa 855 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline: 1 572 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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: Königstein 2 606 m

Natural resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc, salt, vanadium, natural gas, hydropower, fish
note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 0.99% (1998 est.) 1% (1993 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (1998, 1993 est.)
permanent pastures: 46% (1993 est.)
forests and woodland: 22% (1993 est.)
other: 99.01 (1998 est.), 31% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 70 km² (1998 est.), 60 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues: very limited natural freshwater resources; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements