Exact population: 2,044,147 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Literacy: Total population: 84%; male: 84.4%; female: 83.7%

Ethnicities: Black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%; note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9% to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara 7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Area: Total: 825,418 sq km; land: 825,418 sq km; water: 0 sq km

Land boundaries: Total: 3,936 km; border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa 967 km, Zambia 233 km

Terrain: Mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Extremes: Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m; highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Imports: US 50%, EU 31% (2004)

Exports: EU 79%, US 4% (2004)

Industries: Meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Source: CIA World Factbook