Namibia 

Key facts

POPULATION (Census 2001): 1,830,330
AREA: 824,268 sq km
CAPITAL: Windhoek
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTION TO GDP: -
CURRENCY: Namibian dollar (nad)
HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT:
President Hifikepunye Pohamba
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: bicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: English (official) Afrikaans, German, Oshiwambo (recognised)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS: last: Nov 2009; turnout: - next: 2014
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: Nov 2010; turnout: 38.6%; next: 2015

Summary

Namibia is a unitary democratic republic with three spheres of government: national, regional and local. Regional and local government are enshrined in Chapter 12 of the constitution and the main governing legislation consists of the Local Authorities Act 1992 and the Regional Councils Act 1992. There are 13 regional councils, and 52 unitary local authorities classified as follows: three ‘Part I’ municipal (city) councils, 13 ‘Part II’ municipal councils,17 town councils and 19 village councils. Both regional councils and local authorities are empowered to levy local taxes, each local authority must transfer 5% of its rate income to its regional council. In parallel, central government provides subsidies to village councils, regional councils and newly established town councils. Regional councils do not generally provide services directly, but local councils’ responsibilities include water and sanitation, waste management, electricity and economic promotion.

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Additional information since publication:

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