General information

Namibia flag

Official Name
Republic of Namibia
Capital and seat of Government
Windhoek (322.500 population)
Chief of State
Hage Geingob
Chief of Government
Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Political Sistem
Semi-Presidentalist
Area
824.269 km (9 times bigger than Portugal)
Population
2.104.900 (Census 2011)
Demographic density
2.55 inhab./Km (Census 2011)
Population Dispersion 
58% rural /52% urban (Census 2011)
Age Structure
0-14: 34%/ 15-64: 61.7%/ +65: 4.1%
Average Life Expectancy
64 years (BM-2013)
Provinces (Capitals)
13 - Caprivi (Katima Mulilo), Erongo (Swakopmund), Hardap (Mariental), Karas (Keetmanshoop), Kavango (Rundu), Khomas (Windhoek), Kunene (Opuwo), Ohangwena (Eenhana), Omaheke (Gobabis), Omusati (Uutapi), Oshikoto (Tsumeb), Otjozondjupa (Otijwarongo)
Climate
Semi-arid and semi-tropical
Predominant Religion
Christian (80%), Indigenous African religions (10%), Atheists (7%), Others (3%)
Official Language
English (official), Oshiwambo, Nama-Damara, Afrikaans, German, Other dialects
Currency
Namibian Dollar (NAD)
Foreign Exchange
Namibian Dollar (NAD) - parity 1:1 with South Africa Rand (accepted in Namibia) - 1€ ≈ n$15
GDP at market prices
about 12 billion Euros
GDP per capita
approximately € 9.004,37 (FMI)
Inflation October 2015
3,4%
Unemployment
28.1%
Debt Rating
BBB - Fitch// Baa3 (Moody's)
Commercial Organizations
World Trade Organization (WTO), South African Development Community (SADC) and The Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU)
Exports (Destination)
EU (23.5%) Botswana (16.7%), África do Sul (13.0%), Suíça (12.2%), Coreia (9.1%) - Annual Trade Statistics Bulletin 2014
Exports (Products)
Pearls, precious stones and metals (25.6%), ships and floating materials (13.8%); minerals (12.5%); Zinc and articles (5.1%) - Annual Trade Statistics Bulletin 2014
Imports (Source)
South Africa (56.8%), Korea (6.5%), China (4.0%), Bahamas (3.4%), Germany (2.8%) - Annual Trade Statistics Bulletin 2014
Imports (Products)
Vehicles (12.4%), ships and floating materials (12.2%), machinery and mechanical equipment (12.0%), fuels and mineral oils (6.4%), electrical equipment (5.4%) - Annual Trade Statistics Bulletin 2014
Local time
GMT + 2 (Summer), GMT (Winter)
Fiscal Year
1 April - 31 March
Nationals Holidays
1 Jan, 21 Mar, Friday and Monday of Easter, 1 May, 4 May, Ascension Day, 25 May, 26 Aug, 10 Dec, 25 Dec, 26 Dec.                                
International Rankings
Ease of Business: 101 (in 189) World Bank 2016
Global Competitive Index: 88 (in 144) World Economic Forum 2014/15
Economic Freedom Index: 93 (in 178) Heritage Foundation in 2015
Corruption Perception Index: 55 (in 175) Transparency International
Good Governance Index: 6 (in 52) - Mo Ibrahim Foundation 2014

Ficha de mercado

The population of Namibia, about 2.1 million, is well below other countries in southern Africa, particularly South Africa. This small population is spread over a vast territorial area. Given the limited internal market, it is also the neighbouring markets  that  attracts foreign investors.
In recognition of this, Namibia has made efforts in expanding their trade relations with the most varied parts of the globe, being a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since its inception in 1995.
Namibia belongs to the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU), the oldest Custom Union in the world, whose Secretariat is located in Windhoek. Namibia enjoys duty-free access to the vast market of South Africa, as well Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, the first two countries being medium-high income countries.
Like other members of SACU, Namibia is a member of the Community for the Development of Southern Africa (SADC). Since the signing of the Trade Protocol in 1996, SADC has been trying to create a free trade area (FTA) of SADC, which started in 2008, but without Angola or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite the slow progress in creating a functional FTA within the SADC, in June 2011 a Tripartite Summit, involving the Heads of State of SADC countries, the Common Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the East African Community (EAC) agreed to create a free trade area of ​​26 countries and a greater number of customers to 700 million. The Summit defined a preparatory phase of 6-12 months and a phase of negotiations on the movement of goods and entrepreneurs with a duration of 24-60 months.
Namibia has preferential access to the market of the European Union (EU) since 1991, through the Lomé and Cotonou Agreements. At the moment, the EPA negotiations between the EU, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland are concluded. The new Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA),  is expected to be to be signed in 2016 and come into force later this year.

Business Guide

http://www.portugalglobal.pt/PT/PortugalNews/EdicaoAicepPortugalGlobal/Documents/Guia%20de%20Neg%C3%B3cios%20da%20Nam%C3%ADbia_2016.pdf

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