Plan your trip to Namibia

Named after the Namib Desert, the Republic of Namibia is a country in southern Africa and is bordered by Angola, Zambia and Botswana. Once occupied by South Africa, Namibia gained independence in 1990 and today is considered the second-most sparsely populated country in the world. The country’s rich mix of cultures and range of languages such as German, Owambo, Herero and English are found in the capital, Windhoek.

Namibia consists of four main regions including Caprivi, Northern, Central and Southern Namibia, each of which represent the country’s dry climate and diverse landscapes. Tourists are lured to Namibia’s natural attractions, from the desert plains like the Kalahari Desert to national parks like Etosha National Park, where visitors can see an assortment of wildlife such as rhinos and zebras drinking from one of the many nearby watering holes.

For outdoor activities, visitors enjoy participating in Namibia’s popular extreme sports such as sandboarding—like snowboading but on sand—or watching a game of the country’s national soccer team, called the Brave Warriors, which played in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.