South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II when it annexed the territory.
In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Independence came in 1990.
- Namibia Head of State: President Hifikepunye Pohamba
- Namibia Government Type: Republic
- Namibia Independence: 1990 March 21 (from South African mandate)
- Namibia Constitution: Ratified 1990 February 9 (effective 1990 March 12)
- Namibia National Holiday: Independence Day, 21 March
Namibia International Organization Participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Namibia Legal System:
Based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
Namibia International Disputes:
None