Check out our six-day Namibia weather forecast on our Namibia weather page. The page also provides climate details and information on the best time to visit.

The country code of Namibia is 264, and every region and city has its own two-digit area code. For long distance calls within Namibia, the area code should be prefixed with a '0'. Mobile phones (commonly used here) are connected to the GSM network and run on the same frequency as the rest of Africa and Europe. You can find Internet cafes in Swakopmund, Windhoek and Opuwo. Some hostels also offer you internet access.

CellOne and MTC are the two GSM cellular phone operators in Namibia, and both companies provide prepaid options. Most stores sell airtime vouchers and starter packs.

Along with South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, Namibia is a member of the Southern African Common Monetary Area. The Namibian Dollar (NAD) is pegged 1:1 to the South African Rand (ZAR). Both the South African Rand and the Namibian Dollar are legal tender in the country, but you will usually get change in Namibian Dollars. The latest Namibia Dollar Exchange Rate can be found at Oanda.com, the currency site.

You won’t have to cough up a fee or submit paperwork to banks in Namibia in order to convert Namibian Dollars to South African Rand or vice versa. So if you’re planning to leave Namibia, take advantage of this facility, as you will be charged a substantial fee for currency exchange in banks and currency exchanges outside the country. This also applies to other countries that are members of the Common Monetary Area.

It is smart to carry along with you some proof (such as ATM receipts) that the cash you are taking out of Namibia is the same that you came in with.

Many towns and cities such as Windhoek, Luderitz, Swakopmund and Tsumeb have automated teller machines. The safest ATMs are the ones inside malls or other buildings. While withdrawing cash, make sure that no one can see the PIN you are entering. Find out any information about scams involving teller machines that refuse to spit out your card after you have entered the PIN.

220 volts AC, 50hz. Outlets are of the South African three-pin type (two small round pins over one larger round pin).

To view a list of Namibia embassies around the world, as well as foreign embassies within Namibia, click on this link to EmbassyWorld.com.

Population - 2.04 million (UN estimate 2006).
Total Area - 824,292 sq km (318,261 sq miles).
Capital - Windhoek (250,000 people).
Time Zone - GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from the first Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April).

To view the current time in Windhoek, click here.

The medical system in Namibia is modern and reliable. You need not worry about the possibility of HIV transmission in the hospitals (whether government –run or private) as the staff is well trained. However, you will find that the queues are usually shorter in private hospitals, and it is probably better to seek these out as cases of incorrect diagnosis are not unknown in government hospitals.

If you plan to travel to the malaria-prone northern part of the country, make sure you get your doctor’s advice before leaving, and take suitable precautions against the disease. In fact, do check with a physician who specialises in the health issues of South Africa. Also visit the web pages of the Centre for Disease Control to ensure you know everything you should about the subject.

Unless you are warned otherwise, you can drink water without any qualms in Namibia. Campsites next to rivers are often supplied directly by rivers, and the water is not safe to drink.

Avoid unprotected sex at all costs, as the HIV infection rate in the country is about 25%.

Namibia’s coastal regions were explored by the Portuguese and the Dutch in the 15th century, and the English in the 18th century. In the 1840s, German missionaries came to these regions to preach and convert. Ever since the foundation of the United Nations in 1945 to Namibia’s independence in 1991, the South African government continually refused to convert its League of Nations mandate to administer the country into a UN trusteeship. It refused to acknowledge the legitimate interest of the United Nations, or any other organisation. As per the Constitution which came into play in March 1990 upon independence, executive authority belongs to the President, who is elected directly for a five-year term. Legislative power is exercised by the National Assembly with its 78 members. Of these, 72 are elected for a term of five years, while the rest are presidential nominees. In May 1997, the Constitution was amended to allow the serving President to seek a third term of office.

The official language of Namibia is English and it is spoken everywhere. However, most of the older Namibians, who were schooled before independence, don’t speak English very well since it is their third language.

Of course many speak Afrikaans in Namibia. A large number of German settlers (and people of German descent) here speak German. Most of them live in Swakopmund and Windhoek, and on farms throughout the country. Namibia also has eleven 'recognised' languages, and there are other languages not officially recognised because so few people speak them.

Namibia bears the marks of various historical events such as the colonial occupation, the unresolved issues of the treatment of the Namqua and Hereo people and land distribution, as well as the war of independence. Tensions are still present regarding ethnic and racial divisions. This is not just about black and white, but encompasses a kaleidoscope of race and colour, a legacy from South African and neighbouring colonial experiences. The predominant ethnic group is the Bantu which includes the Himba and Herero groups. Both these groups (especially the Himba) live in a manner that is unchanged by modern lifestyles. The Khoisan people also have a strong presence in the country, with the Namaqua and the Bushmen being the most noted.

Before its independence in 1990, Namibia was governed by South Africa and Germany. You can see the impeccable organising skills of the Germans in the well-maintained towns, rest camps, and roads of Namibia. Due to its productive farming, mining, tourism, and fishing industries, Namibia is peaceful and more affluent than many of its neighbouring countries.

Follow the link to view a current list of public holidays in Namibia.

The total area of Namibia is 318,252 square miles, and the country’s population is about 1.8 million. Over 90 percent of citizens call themselves Christian. The two largest organisations are the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. Some relatively minor religious communities are the Methodist, Baptist and Mormon (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) communities. In the north-western desert live the Himba, an ethnic group (less than 1 percent of the total population) that practises a native nature-oriented religion. Less than 3 percent of the population is made up of the San people who also observe an indigenous religion. Other non-Christian groups include the Muslim, Jewish, Bahai and Buddhist faiths. These practitioners are mostly immigrants, who have descended from immigrants, or have converted only recently. They live mainly in urban areas. You may also come across a few atheists in Namibia.

Several missionary groups from abroad, such as the Lutherans, Baptists, Roman Catholics, Bahais and the Mormons operate in Namibia. The country does not have a state religion. The Constitution allows freedom of religion, a right that is generally respected by the Government.

Tourists may stay in the country for up to 3 months. If you are a citizen of any of the following countries, you don’t need a visa for Namibia: Australia, Angola, Austria, Botswana, Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Belgium, Brazil, countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Canada, Cuba, Finland, Denmark, France, Iceland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Malaysia, Malawi, Mozambique, Mauritius, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United States of America and United Kingdom.

If you don’t belong to any of these countries, you will have to approach the Namibian consulate in your country of origin or the Ministry of Home Affairs for a visa. All tourists must have a passport with at least 6 months’ validity after their date of entry into the country.