Country
Namibia Ireland
Leader
Population
2,165,828 4,722,028
Life Expectancy
52.170 years 80.320 years
Capital City
Windhoek Dublin
Largest city
Windhoek (population: 268,132) Dublin (population: 1,024,030)
Human Development Index
0.634 0.96 GDP per capita $7,500 US $40,100 US
Literacy Rate
85% 99%
Corruption Perception Index
4.5 7.7
Percentage of Women in Parliament
26.9% 15.5% Wealthiest Citizens NA Pallonji Mistry ($2.5bn US) Unemployment Rate 51.200% 14.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished Abolished
Political System
republic republic, parliamentary democracy
Independence date
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty) Religions Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20% Roman Catholic 87.4%, Church of Ireland 2.9%, other Christian 1.9%, other 2.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.2% (2006 census) Languages English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages 1% (includes Oshivambo, Herero, Nama) English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard Exports diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed fish, karakul skins machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products External Debt $4,537,000,000 $ $2,352,000,000,000 US Exchange Rate Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 7.75 (2008 est.), 7.18 (2007), 6.7649 (2006), 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004) euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6689 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004) Military Budget as percentage of GDP 3.700% 0.900% Beijing Olympics Medal Count 0 3 Location Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain Area 824,292 km sq 70,273 km sq Coastline 1,572 km 1,448 km Climate desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time
