History of Namibia

Early History

The region later known as Namibia was probably first inhabited by the Bushmen, or San people. The Namaqua and Damara people arrived later, with the Bantu-speaking Ovambo and Herero arriving from the north in the 14th century.

European exploration did not penetrate into Namibia until the 18th century, when a steady stream of traders, travellers, hunters, and missionaries began to brave the inhospitable Namib Desert and explore the area. The country's coast - far more accessible than its hinterland - was the first area to be appropriated by foreign colonial powers.

Colonial History

In 1878, Britain annexed Walvis Bay, a small area about halfway up the west coast of Namibia, for Britain's Cape Colony. Then, in 1883, following negotiations with a local chief, the German trader Adolf Luederitz claimed the rest of the coastal area of Namibia for Germany.

In 1884, Britain amalgamated Walvis Bay with the administration of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and officially recognized much of Namibia's area (up to 20° east longitude) as a German sphere of influence. German South West Africa acquired the Caprivi Strip in 1890 in order to access its colonies in East Africa. In exchange, Britain took hold of Zanzibar in East Africa.

Consolidation

Germany consolidated its hold over the region by force of arms and through extortion via the 'protection treaties' - granted by the administration to strategically important or wealthy parties. The denial of this protection to non-white Africans resulted in perhaps the first genocide of the 20th century, when 75% of the native Herero population (some 40,000 individuals), half of the Nama, and an unknown number of San were killed in the Herero/Nama wars of 1904 - 1908.

A racially stratified society emerged in Namibia, and this was further entrenched after South Africa occupied the country during World War I. South Africa adopted the full administration of Namibia in accordance with a League of Nations covenant. But administrative conflict ensued when the UN superseded the League of Nations and South Africa refused to submit to close international monitoring of its Namibian government.

As European powers began to grant independence to their African colonies, South Africa came under increasing pressure to follow suit. In 1966, the UN revoked South Africa's mandate to govern Namibia, and in 1971 the International Court of Justice held that South Africa's presence in Namibia was illegal and that South Africa was obliged to withdraw its administration immediately.

South Africa did not withdraw. The South Western People's Organisation (SWAPO) was formed in 1966, and began to carry out guerrilla attacks against South Africa.

Transition to Independence

Namibia's transition to independence was a very long and agonizingly slow process, fraught with international diplomatic manoeuvring, that lasted from the mid-1970s until 21 March 1990. On that date the country was officially granted sovereignty and independence, and Sam Nujoma was sworn in as the first President of Namibia.

On 1 March 1994, following three years of negotiations, South Africa transferred control of Walvis Bay and 12 islands to the Namibian government. The peaceful resolution in 1994 of this territorial dispute - which originated in 1878 - was praised by the international community.

Since independence, Namibia has been at peace with its neighbours.

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