Hello! Namibia is characterized by great economic inequality; Segregation has continued since the end of apartheid, although more non-whites have joined the upper classes. The wealthier classes of all races are distinguished by expensive cars, large homes in exclusive neighborhoods, a command of English, attendance at private schools, and extensive travel.
In the rural communal areas, men
and boys generally care for livestock, build and maintain homesteads, plow
fields, and contribute with some agricultural labor, while women and girls do
most of the agricultural labor, food preparation, childcare, and household
work. Women still have fewer economic opportunities than men, and the incidence
of rape and domestic violence is extremely high.
Weddings are extremely important
social events in Namibia, bringing family and friends together to sing, dance,
and feast. It has been estimated that nearly one in seven women in Namibia live
in polygamous relationships.
Parents receive substantial help
with child rearing from other family members. It is not unusual for children to
live with other relatives if the parents have work obligations. Most boys and
girls attend primary school, although sometimes they stay at home to help with
the livestock or crops.
Children are supposed to start
primary education at age 6, but some only start school at a later stage. Seven
years of primary education plus 3 years of secondary education leads to a
Junior Secondary School Certificate (also called Grade 10 ) .After successful
completion of 12 grades the learner is a warded the Senior Secondary
Certificate qualification which can be either the International General
Certificate of Education (IGCSE) or the Higher International General
Certificate of Education (HIGCSE). IGCSE exam papers are set and marked in
Namibia, but moderated by Cambridge.
The Republic of Namibia attained
its independence on 21 March 1990 and was established as a democratic and
unitary State. In accordance with the doctrine of separation of powers, the
government is divided into three organs: The Executive, The Legislative and The
Judiciary.
Each organ is responsible for a
different function of the government. The Cabinet is the executive organ of
government, implementing the laws of the country. It consists of the President,
the Prime Minister and his deputy, as well as the Ministers. The current
president is Hifipunye Pohamba and the presidents are elected in a national
election every five years. The legislative organ of government is the Parliament
and it’s divided in two chambers: National Council and the National Assembly.
They make the laws of the country. The judiciary organs of government are the
courts. The highest court of Namibia is the Supreme Court. There is also the
High Court, and lower courts. They are responsible for judging and interpreting
the laws.
The Constitution of Namibia
provides that the Country is divided into regional and local units. In keeping
with this constitutional requirement, thirteen administrative regions and many
other Local Authorities have been established.
The most important economic
activity in Namibia is the mineral extraction of uranium, copper, zinc, gold
and, above all, diamonds. This last one is responsible for twenty per cent of
Namibia’s Gross National Product. The country is only a medium producer, but
they have the highest value of carat in the world.
Another important area for
Namibia’s economy is fishery. Namibia’s marine resources are one of the richer
in the world and it’s on Top 10 of international fishery industry. You can see
how great it is by the value of their crop: about 600,000 tonnes of fish and
shellfish are processed annu
ally. The most exploited species are found on the seabed, as meluza and monkfish, and pelagic species such as sardines, anchovies and carapau.
ally. The most exploited species are found on the seabed, as meluza and monkfish, and pelagic species such as sardines, anchovies and carapau.
Namibia’s government has a great
concern about the environment protection. Almost all their seacoast is a
protected area, which increases ecotourism: a growing economic area in the
country.
Namibia’s Gross National Product
is above 12 billion USD with a growth rate about 5% in a year. The Gross
National Product per capita is about 5,600 USD.
As you can see Namibia is a very
rich country with their natural resources. But, unfortunately, like in several
countries in the world, Namibia suffers with a high concentration of land and
wealth in the hands of the white minority: Namibia is the country with the
highest inequality in the world. Its Gini coefficient, which measures income
inequality from zero to one, is 0.70.
