The Republic of Namibia is a vast, beautiful country. Those who named the country obviously recognized this since “Namibia” means “land of open spaces” in the local Nama language.
I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks traveling (and camping) in Namibia and enjoying many of these wide open places for myself!
From the dryness of the desert region:
To the massive dried up salt lake that gave Etosha National Park its name ("Great White Place"):
Namibia is one of the youngest countries in the world– only gaining its independence from South Africa in March 1990 (prior to that time, it was known as "Southwest Africa"). Due to rich mineral and diamond deposits, the GDP of Namibia is one of the highest of all sub-Saharan countries, although sadly, the vast majority of the population still lives below the poverty line. On a more positive note, the literacy rate is 83% -- one of the highest in Africa.
As illustrated in my last blog entry, Namibia is blessed with one of the largest animal congregations on the planet. Interestingly, in contrast to the high animal population, Namibia is the second least densely populated country on the planet (after Mongolia). This lack of people accounts for the beautiful wide open spaces!
One of my favorite spots was Fish River Canyon -- the second biggest canyon in the world (after the Grand Canyon in Arizona):
Although the beauty of the highest sand dunes in the world cannot be denied:
I have always loved being outdoors and far from “civilization” and camping in Namibia affords many such opportunities. Here are the views from my two favorite campsites on this trip:
Namibia is a country with a fascinating history, rich cultures, and interesting people, but it is the natural beauty of this country that makes me want to come back!
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