Namibia Government

What is the capital of Namibia?

Country Name	Namibia
Full Country Name	Republic of Namibia
Local - Long	Republic of Namibia
Local - Short	Namibia
Former Name	German South-West Africa (Deutsch Suedwest Afrika), South-West Africa
Etymology- history of name	named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name "namib" means "vast place" in the Nama/Damara language
Government Type	presidential republic
Capital Name	Windhoek
Capital - geographic coordinate	22 34 S, 17 05 E
Capital Time Difference	UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight Savings Time	+1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April
Independence	21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National Holiday	Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution	history: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990 amendments: passage requires majority vote of the National Assembly membership and of the National Council of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; if the National Council fails to pass an amendment, the president can call for a referendum; passage by referendum requires two-thirds majority of votes cast; amendments that detract from or repeal constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended, and the requisite majorities needed by Parliament to amend the constitution cannot be changed; amended 1998, 2010, 2014

Namibia Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Namibia Government and Politics

Who is the president of Namibia?

Executive Branch:	chief of state: Acting President Nangolo MBUMBA (since 4 February 2024); Acting Vice President Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAHNOTE (since 4 February 2024); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; President Hage GEINGOB died on 4 February 2024, and Vice President MBUMBA was sworn in to run the government until the next presidential election in November 2024 head of government: Acting President Nangolo MBUMBA (since 4 February 2024); Acting Vice President Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAHNOTE (since 4 February 2024); Prime Minister Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA (since 21 March 2015); note - the prime minister is appointed by the president to coordinate the work of the cabinet, advise the president, and is second in line of succession if the president is unable to serve; note - President Hage GEINGOB died on 4 February 2024, and the Vice President MBUMBA was sworn in to run the government until the next presidential election in November 2024 cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2019 (next to be held in November 2024) election results: 2019: Hage GEINGOB reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, other .9% 2014: Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 86.7%, McHenry VENAANI (DTA) 5%, Hidipo HAMUTENYA (RDP) 3.4%, Asser MBAI (NUDO)1.9%, Henk MUDGE (RP) 1%, other 2%
Citizenship Criteria:	citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Legal System:	mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch:	description: bicameral Parliament consists of: National Council (42 seats); members indirectly elected 3 each by the 14 regional councils to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly National Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed list, proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 25 November 2020 (next to be held on 25 November 2025) National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 28, LPM 6,IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1, independent 1; composition as of July 2022 - men 36, women 6, percent of women 14.3% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition as of July 2022 - men 58, women 46, percent of women 44.2%; note - overall percent of women in Parliament 35.6%
Judicial Branch:	highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president of Namibia upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65, but terms can be extended by the president until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Electoral Court, Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts
Regions or States:	14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi; note - the Karas Region was renamed //Karas in September 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language
Political Parties and Leaders:	All People's Party or APP (Erastus SHUUMBWA) Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME] Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI] National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Esther MUINJANGUE] Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO] Popular Democratic Movement or PDM [McHenry VENAANI] (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance or DTA) Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA] Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE] South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Charles KATJIVIRUE] South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB] United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB] United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK]
International Law Organization Participation:	has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation:	ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret Natalie MENSAH-WILLIAMS (since 18 January 2021) chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 email address and website: info@namibiaembassyusa.org https://namibiaembassyusa.org/
Diplomatic Representation from US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Randy William BERRY (since 9 February 2023) embassy: 38 Metje Street, Klein Windhoek, Windhoek mailing address: 2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC 20521-2540 telephone: [264] (061) 295-8500 FAX: [264] (061) 202-5219 email address and website: ConsularWindhoek@state.gov https://na.usembassy.gov/

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