Namibia: The Nation After Independence (Profiles. Nations of Contemporary Africa)

Namibia, formerly South West Africa, is a vast, sparsely populated country the size of France. The last African colony to achieve independence, it represents a watershed in the African political experience. Namibia faces formidable political and economic challenges; constraints to growth and development include a lack of skilled workers, a low capital formation base, small internal markets, poor prospects for import substitution, and a potentially uneasy relationship with South Africa, its economically powerful neighbor to the south. Nevertheless, Namibia has some of the world's largest deposits of yellow cake uranium and diamonds. Its location could prove attractive for mineral exports to the North American and Western European markets.This introduction to Namibia surveys the contemporary trends in the country's political, social, and economic development. The authors examine the lessons Namibia--which had over a decade to plan for independence--has learned from the experience of its neighbors concerning the workings of the international economic system and the subtleties of relations with South Africa. They conclude that the independent government--led by the South West Africa People's Organization--must find a pragmatic path to develop an economy with the potential to be one of southern Africa's strongest.