Size and population.

Namibia is a vast country with a size of 824 268 Km².  The population size as given by the latest official census results, Namibia has 1.8 million people.

Climate.

Namibia is a semi-arid desert country with a dry climate and where droughts are a regular occurrence. Days are mostly warm to very hot, while nights are generally cool. Average daily temperatures in summer range between 20ºc -34ºc and in winter 0 ºc-15ºc. 0 ºc-10ºc

Namibia is a dry country with a sensitive environment and attention should be given to the utilization of water, fire wood and other natural resources

Time

Summer: From the first Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April, 2 hours ahead of GMT.

Winter: From First Sunday in April to the first Sunday in September. 1 hour ahead of GMT.

Official language

English is the official language in Namibia.

Malaria precautions

When traveling to Namibia whether visiting or camping you will come across malaria infested areas.  Here you will need to take measures to protect yourself against mosquito bites. While malaria is found mainly in the north and the north-east of the country, it has been recently reported in the central regions and occasionally the south. Effective measures that we recommend are that you apply mosquito repellent to the exposed skin. Wear long sleeve shirts and pants at dusk and dawn because this is the time when mosquitoes bite the most.

NB:  If you are camping make sure your tent is closed at all times.

HIV/AIDS in Namibia.

HIV/AIDS has hit Africa worse than any other continent, with Namibia being one of the hardest hit countries.  22% of pregnant women were found HIV positive in the last survey carried out by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MHSS). Hence the government launched a strategic plan in 1999 that calls on all stakeholders to contribute to the fight against HIV/Aids. Both the public and the private sectors have started to establish comprehensive HIV/AIDS programs.