In 2002, Namibia was a southern African nation located on the Atlantic Ocean coast with a population of approximately 2 million people. It was one of the poorest countries in the world, with an estimated per capita GDP of just over US$1,000. The economy was largely based on agriculture, mining, and tourism. Infrastructure was limited with only 20% of the population having access to electricity and 34% having access to improved water sources. Education levels were also relatively low with only around 50% of the population being literate. According to computerannals, Namibia had been making progress in recent years in terms of economic growth and poverty reduction. The government had implemented several economic reform measures such as reducing trade tariffs and increasing foreign investment which had helped to boost the country’s economy. In addition, efforts were being made to improve health care services and access to education for all citizens. As a result of these initiatives, Namibia had achieved a higher standard of living than many other developing countries in the region at that time. Additionally, efforts were being made to reduce corruption and increase transparency in government operations which had helped to foster an environment conducive to foreign investment.

Yearbook 2002

Namibia. According to Countryaah website, national day of Namibia is every March 21. The herero people filed a lawsuit in a US court against German companies, including Deutsche Bank, for the death of 65,000 hereros during the German colonial war 1904–07. Herero demanded $ 2 billion for the persecution they were subjected to.

In August, Prime Minister Hage Geingob, who led the government since N’s independence in 1990, was dismissed. He was succeeded by Foreign Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab. President Sam Nujoma motivated the changes by saying that “big problems required urgent action”.

The relatively prosperous N. had serious financial problems. The IMF said that weak growth of less than 3% is not enough to reduce poverty and reduce unemployment, which is around 35%. An economic setback was also the oil company Shell’s decision to interrupt the search for natural gas in the sea. The deposits were not considered to be large enough for a profitable recovery.

During the autumn, the government increased the pressure on N’s approximately 4,000 white farmers, who together own almost half the cultivable area in the country. President Sam Nujoma said he supported the disputed land reform in Zimbabwe and urged “the arrogant white farmers” to follow the government’s land distribution program, which is based on voluntary land sales.

Namibia Country Overview

Visas
Finnish citizen receives a visa upon arrival in Namibia free of charge for holidays of less than 90 days. The situation may change, so please check the situation before your trip.

In addition to the passport, minor children must present an original birth certificate in English (extract from the population information system obtained from the local register office).

• According to ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG, NAM stands for Namibia.

A minor child traveling without one or both guardians must present the consent of the absent guardian when entering and leaving Namibia. If the minor has only one legal guardian, a court decision on sole custody or the death certificate of the other guardian must be presented.

The passport must be valid for 6 months after leaving the country.

Insurance
Every person participating in the trip must have a valid travel insurance that covers medical expenses in the event of illness or other similar need. Please check the validity of your own insurance and the terms and conditions of the insurance cancellation cover.

Please pay attention to the special nature of your trip and check the coverage of the insurance in that respect as well. In many locations, the insurance must also be valid when moving at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, in which case it also covers mountain sickness.

Many hiking or diving trips require more extensive insurance, which covers, for example, diving or moving on a glacier. Please check the contents of your insurance with your insurance company.

Recommended vaccinations
Check that your basic vaccinations are valid (tetanus, polio and diphtheria). Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended for the trip. We also recommend antimalarial medication in parts of Namibia. Please always check the vaccination requirements at your health center or the vaccination advice of the tourist clinic

If you arrive in Namibia from the yellow fever area, you must present an international vaccination card for yellow fever vaccination. According to the World Health Organization, a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong protection against yellow fever. However, to avoid possible ambiguity, we recommend that a medical certificate in English be sought for a yellow fever vaccination certificate that is more than 10 years old, stating that vaccination provides lifelong protection.

When traveling to Namibia from a destination outside the yellow fever area, no vaccination certificate is required. However, there may be unexpected changes in flight routes that may also affect vaccination requirements. Due to such situations, we recommend that you always carry a valid vaccination certificate with you.

We will not be held responsible if access is denied due to a missing vaccination certificate.

Currency: Namibian Dollar (NAD). This currency is not available in Finland. However, the NAD is directly proportional to the South African Rand (ZAR). 1 € = about 13 ZAR. Rents is a cash currency in Namibia. Dates are available in Finland by booking in advance. Check availability and course at www.forex.fi.

Tips
Waiters and restaurant staff expect 5-10% tips on the final invoice unless a service charge is included in the invoice price.

It is recommended that bag carriers in hotels and lodge be given about 5 NAD / bag. It is recommended that our safari drivers be given 30 NAD / day / person at the end of the trip (250-300 NAD / person for the whole safari).

Time difference
The areas in which we move are in the same time zone in winter as Finland. In summer, the time difference in Namibia to Finland is -1 hour.

Electricity
Electricity in Namibia is 220V. An adapter is required for devices used in Finnish sockets.

Mobile phones
Check with your operator for phone coverage at destinations. Namibia Area Code is +264.