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in the northwest; Kavango East, Kavango West and Zambezi in the northeast; Erongo in the west; Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Khomas and Hardap in the central region; and Karas in the south. Namibia hosts the following diplomatic missions: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Brazil, China, Congo, DRC, Cuba, Egypt, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Portugal, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, the United States of America, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The country is represented by diplomatic missions in Angola, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, China, DRC, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Russian Federation, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United Nations, the USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Namibian Police Force, based on the British model of policing, has its headquarters in Windhoek. It has 22 A-class, 26 B-class and 70 C-class police stations, 36 sub-police stations, 18 immigration border posts, 14 satellite police stations and three checkpoints across the country. The judiciary, headed by the Chief Justice, is independent and subject only to the Constitution and the Law. The judicial power is shared by the Supreme Court, a High Court and lower courts, consisting of regional and magistrate’s courts.
THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION OF NAMIBIA
The Electoral Commission of Namibia was established by an Act of Parliament, the Electoral Act, Act 24 of 1992. The Electoral Commission of Namibia is mandated to specifically: a. Supervise and control the registration of voters for the purposes of any election under this Act; b. Supervise the preparation, publication and maintenance of a national voters’ register and local authority voters’ register; c. Supervise and control the registration of political parties under this Act; d. Supervise, direct and control the conduct of elections under this Act;
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e. Supervise, direct, control and promote voter education in respect of elections;
Keetmanshoop
• Dicker Willem – conspicuous
inselberg, towards the west near Aus
Vision To be an excellent and independent election management institution committed to credible elections.
Rivers
Mission To promote and deliver free, fair and credible elections, managed in a transparent, innovative and participatory manner to the Namibians.
Perennial rivers: • Orange River, forming the southern border • Kunene, in the northwest, • Okavango, Zambezi & Kwando/ Linyanti/Chobe, in the northeast
Did you know? In the 2014 general elections, Namibia was the first SADC nation to implement the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The EVMs replaced the cumbersome process of manual voting and thereby minimised challenges associated with the normal voting process. Electoral Commission of Namibia Private Bag 13352, Windhoek Namibia Tel +264-61-376-202 Email: vhango@ecn.na Visit us at: www.ecn.na
THE NAMIBIAN ENVIRONMENT
Namibia’s main topographical regions are the: • Central plateau • Namib Desert in the west • Kalahari Desert in the east • Kavango and Zambezi high rainfall areas in the northeast.
Distinctive mountains
• Brandberg – highest, western Erongo
• Moltkeblick – second highest, Auas range, south of Windhoek
• Bismarckfelsen – third highest, south of Windhoek
• Gamsberg – fourth highest, • • • • • • •
table-topped, Khomas Hochland, southwest of Windhoek Mount Etjo – south of Otjiwarongo Spitzkoppe – most imposing peaks, Erongo Region Omatakos – twin-peaked, between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo Erongo Mountains – between Usakos and Omaruru Naukluft Mountains – massif, Namib-Naukluft Park Waterberg Plateau – east of Otjiwarongo Brukkaros Mountain – crater-like, halfway between Mariental and
Namibia is the most arid country in southern Africa, with water being a key resource.
Ephemeral/seasonal rivers: • Fish and Nossob, tributaries of the Orange • Kuiseb, Swakop, Omaruru, Hoarusib, Hoanib, Ugab and Khumib, all west-flowing and draining into the Atlantic • Tsauchab, landlocked, with floodwaters occasionally feeding Sossusvlei • Marienfluss and Omatako, northflowing • Cuvelai, a drainage system of rivers originating in southern Angola, with floodwaters flowing into the Etosha Pan.
Climate
• Typical of a semi-desert country, with droughts a regular occurrence.
• Namibia is the most arid country
in southern Africa, with a humidity of less than 10% during the winter months and varying from 50% to 80% during the summer. • Except for the south-western areas where winter rainfall occurs, rain usually falls during the southernhemisphere summer. Rainy season • Short – October/November to March/April • Main – January to March. Average annual rainfall • 50 mm and less, along coast in west • 350 mm, central highlands • 700 mm, far north-eastern areas Temperatures • Days – mostly warm to very hot, summer from 20–34°C, in winter average day temperatures vary from 18–22°C. • Nights – generally cool, dropping to ± 18°C, average from 0–10°C, as low as 8°C. • Interior – lower than in pre-Namib due to altitude.