Namibia, formerly known as South West Africa, is a country bordering South Africa to the south, Zambia and Angola to the north and Botswana to the east, with a long western coastline. It isn’t a very well-known country, but rather could be described as a hidden gem, a beautiful country still relatively untouched by tourism. Once you learn more about this fascinating country, you will understand just how magical it really is.
Namibia is the second most sparsely populated country on earth, second only to Mongolia. It is a rather large country at 825,615 km2, however it has a population of only 2,606,971. This means a lot of the country is rural and wonderfully peaceful and quiet. The Namibian economy is centered around agriculture, mining (mostly uranium, gold, silver, various gemstones and base metals) and tourism. It is a prime tourist destination on the African continent due to its huge amount of wild animals and incredible, unique natural scenery.
If you are hoping to see a variety of wild animals, Etosha National Park in the north of the country is one of the best places to go. The park has various camps for visitors to stay in ? you can choose to either camp or stay in more luxurious accommodations. The camps are close to watering holes, and many people like to go out at night and see which thirsty animals show up to have a drink. If you’re really lucky, you might see one of the big five (elephant, rhino, lion, leopard or buffalo).
Namibia is named after the Namib Desert, one of the oldest deserts in the world, and also has some of the highest sand dunes of any desert in the world. The dunes are a beautiful red color and have become a very popular venue for adventure sports such as dune surfing. With some small exceptions here and there, the Namib is uninhabited. Furthermore, the desert is home to some of the driest areas on Earth.
What is also very interesting about the Namib Desert is that it meets the sea in the west. Traditionally, it’s one of the most dangerous areas to sail past, due to the thick fog that accumulates where the ocean and the desert meet. It was very dangerous for ships as they could get stuck and it wasn’t possible to maneuver them back into the ocean again. To this day there are many shipwrecks along the coast and the area is known as the skeleton coast and is also a national park, with some insects and animals making this dangerous place their home. There are big waves as well ? great for adventurous surfers!
However, the beauty of the desert isn’t all Namibia has to offer. There is also the incredible Fish River Canyon, the largest on the African continent. There are various options for hiking into the canyon, and when you reach the bottom you can relax at the hot spring resort of Ai Ais.
If you are looking for a holiday destination that’s a bit off the beaten path, with amazing and unique natural beauty, Namibia is the ideal place for you.
Ilze
Vocabulary
sparsely (adj.) ? very few people; empty with lots of space
dune (n) ? a gathering up sand usually formed by wind, especially in a desert
uninhabited (adj.) ? a place where nobody lives
accumulate (v) ? to increase; become more
maneuver (v) ? move in a certain direction
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