Area:

581 000 km2

Population:

2 Million

Climate:

Namibia is generally arid to semi-arid, with highly erratic rainfall. The mean annual rainfall ranges from over 650 mm in the north-east to less than 250 mm in the south west. The national average rainfall is 475 mm per year, which is half of the global average annual rainfall. Most rain occurs in the months from October to April, and falls as localized showers and thunderstorms.

The daytime air temperatures are generally warm to hot due to the high insolation, but because of the low humidity night-time minimum temperatures regularly drop to near freezing in winter. The mean monthly maximum temperature ranges from 29.5 to 35°C in summer and 19.8 to 28.9°C in winter. Mean monthly minimum temperatures range from 14.6 to 20.8°C in summer, and 2.9 to 11.6°C in winter.

Natural Resources:

Contributions of the various sectors to the GDP are: mining 35.7%, general government 15.6%, banks, insurance and business 10.1%, trade, hotels and restaurants 8.3%, construction 6.5%, manufacturing 4.6%, agriculture 4.4%, transport and communication 3.7%, water and electricity 2.2%, and social and personal services 4.3%.

Agriculture:

Major crops include: Sorghum, maize, millet, beans or pulses, sunflower and groundnuts. Rangeland cattle are the main livestock.

Climate Vulnerability:

Increased temperatures with decreased rainfall.

Source:

http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/natc/botnc1.pdf

Terminologies:

Localized showers: Confined precipitation from a convective cloud. Showers are characterized by the suddenness with which they start and stop, by the rapid changes of intensity, and usually by rapid changes in the appearance of the sky. They form from a cumuliform cloud.

Pulses: An annual leguminous crop yielding from one to twelve seeds of variable size, shape, and color within a pod. Pulses are used for food and animal feed. Pulses are harvested as dried seeds.