Namibia, a sparsely populated desert nation in Southern Africa, holds its presidential and legislative elections today.
Here are five key points about the country:
1. First 20th-century genocide: In the early 1900s, German forces committed what many consider the first genocide of the 20th century, killing around 70,000 Indigenous Herero and Nama people. In 2021, Germany acknowledged the genocide and pledged over one billion euros in aid, but Namibia rejected the offer and seeks reparations.
2. SWAPO dominance: The South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) led Namibia to independence in 1990 and remains the dominant party. The current president, Nangolo Mbumba, assumed office in February following the death of his predecessor. SWAPO’s candidate for this election is Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
3. Desert nation: Namibia is home to nearly three million people and has one of the lowest population densities globally. It is the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa and is known for the Namib Desert and its giant sand dunes.
4. Uranium exporter: Namibia is one of the world’s top uranium producers, supplying the metal to countries like France, China, and India for nuclear energy production.
5. Drought and culling: Facing the worst drought in a century, Namibia declared a state of emergency in May and carried out a culling of over 700 wild animals to alleviate food shortages and reduce strain on resources.
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