Namibia

[ nuh-mib-ee-uh ]

noun

a republic in southwestern Africa: a former German protectorate; a mandate of South Africa 1920–66; gained independence 1990. 318,261 sq. mi. (824,296 sq. km). Capital: Windhoek.

Formerly Ger·man South·west Af·ri·ca ,
South-West Af·ri·ca [south-west] /ˈsaʊθˌwɛst/ .

Other words from Namibia

Na·mib·i·an, adjective, noun

Words Nearby Namibia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use Namibia in a sentence

And that conglomerate also owns nearly 70 percent of the Rossing uranium mine in Namibia.
McCain Helps a Business Partner of Iran | Ben Jacobs | November 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Workers came from all over Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique, and Namibia.
Turkey's Tragedy and History's Worst Mining Accidents | Emily Shire | May 14, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
There are only 5,000 black rhino and 20,000 white rhino left, the vast majority of which are in South Africa and Namibia.
Harry Leaps To William's Aid | Tom Sykes | February 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
During his trip to Namibia, though, the menu takes a definite turn for the gross.
‘Fear Factor’ Donkey Semen, More Gross Things Eaten on TV (Video) | Melissa Leon | February 3, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
HIV-positive women he met in Namibia fueled his AIDS activism.
Richard Holbrooke's Last Mission in Afghanistan by David Rohde | David Rohde | November 26, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST

The focus of our efforts in pursuit of majority rule in southern Africa has now turned to Namibia.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006 | Various

British Dictionary definitions for Namibia

Namibia

/ (nɑːˈmɪbɪə, nə-) /

noun

a country in southern Africa bordering on South Africa: annexed by Germany in 1884 and mandated by the League of Nations to South Africa in 1920. The mandate was terminated by the UN in 1966 but this was ignored by South Africa, as was the 1971 ruling by the International Court of Justice that the territory be surrendered. Independence was achieved in 1990 and Namibia became a member of the Commonwealth; Walvis Bay remained a South African enclave until 1994, when it was returned to Namibia. Official language: English; Afrikaans and German also spoken. Religion: mostly animist, with some Christians. Currency: dollar. Capital: Windhoek. Pop: 2 182 852 (2013 est). Area: 823 328 sq km (317 887 sq miles): Also called: South West Africa Former name (1885–1919): German Southwest Africa

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Namibia

Namibia

[ (nuh-mib-ee-uh) ]

Country in southwestern Africa, bordered by Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east, South Africa to the south and southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; formerly called South West Africa.

Notes for Namibia

In 1920, South Africa began administering South West Africa under authority of the League of Nations, and in 1971, it rejected the demands of the General Assembly of the United Nations that it withdraw. A nationalist group, the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), waged guerrilla warfare in an attempt to force South Africa out of Namibia. A U.S.-mediated settlement ended the civil war in 1988. In 1990, Namibia became an independent nation.

Browse