Windhoek (, , ) is the capital and largest city of
Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
. It is located in central Namibia in the
Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek in 2020 was 431,000 which is growing continually due to an influx from all over Namibia.
Windhoek is the social, economic, political, and cultural centre of the country. Nearly every Namibian national enterprise, governmental body, educational and cultural institution is headquartered there.
The city developed at the site of a permanent hot spring known to the indigenous
pastoral
A pastoral lifestyle is that of shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. It lends its name to a genre of literature, art, and music (pastorale) that depicts ...
communities. It developed rapidly after
Jonker Afrikaner
Jonker Afrikaner ( 1785, ''Roode Zand'' near Tulbagh, South Africa – 18 August 1861, Okahandja) was the fourth Captain of the Orlam in South West Africa, succeeding his father, Jager Afrikaner, in 1823. Soon after becoming ''Kaptein'', h ...
,
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the
Orlam
The Oorlam or Orlam people (also known as Orlaam, Oorlammers, Oerlams, or Orlamse Hottentots) are a subtribe of the Nama people, largely assimilated after their migration from the Cape Colony (today, part of South Africa) to Namaqualand and Dam ...
, settled there in 1840 and built a stone church for his community. In the decades following, multiple wars and armed hostilities resulted in the neglect and destruction of the new settlement. Windhoek was founded a second time in 1890 by
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...
Major
Curt von François
Curt Karl Bruno von François (2 October 1852 – 28 December 1931) was a German geographer, cartographer, Schutztruppe officer and commissioner of the imperial colonial army of the German Empire, particularly in German South West Africa (today' ...
, when the territory was colonised by the
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
.
History
Etymology
Theories vary on how the place got its modern name of Windhoek. Most believe it is derived from the
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...
word ''wind-hoek'' (wind corner). Another theory suggests that Captain
Jonker Afrikaner
Jonker Afrikaner ( 1785, ''Roode Zand'' near Tulbagh, South Africa – 18 August 1861, Okahandja) was the fourth Captain of the Orlam in South West Africa, succeeding his father, Jager Afrikaner, in 1823. Soon after becoming ''Kaptein'', h ...
named Windhoek after the
Winterhoek
The Groot Winterhoek mountains are located in the Western Cape province of South Africa and are part of the Cape Fold Belt comprising a watershed area of 552,606 hectares. They rise to a maximum height of 2077 m just north of the town of Tulb ...
Mountains at
Tulbagh
Tulbagh, named after Dutch Cape Colony Governor Ryk Tulbagh, is a town located in the "Land van Waveren" mountain basin (also known as the Tulbagh basin), in the Winelands of the Western Cape, South Africa. The basin is fringed on three side ...
in South Africa, where his ancestors had lived. The first known mention of the name ''Windhoek'' was in a letter from Jonker Afrikaner to Joseph Tindall, dated 12 August 1844.
Pre-colonial
In 1840
Jonker Afrikaner
Jonker Afrikaner ( 1785, ''Roode Zand'' near Tulbagh, South Africa – 18 August 1861, Okahandja) was the fourth Captain of the Orlam in South West Africa, succeeding his father, Jager Afrikaner, in 1823. Soon after becoming ''Kaptein'', h ...
established an Orlam settlement at Windhoek. He and his followers stayed near one of the main hot springs, located in the present-day
Klein Windhoek
Klein Windhoek ( in German) is an affluent suburb of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
History
The British explorer James Alexander had already visited the area in 1837. Klein Windhoek is the oldest part of the town, having been established in ...
suburb. He built a stone church that held 500 people; it was also used as a school. Two
Rhenish
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
missionaries
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
,
Carl Hugo Hahn
Carl Hugo Hahn (1818–1895) was a Baltic German missionary and linguist who worked in South Africa and South-West Africa for most of his life. Together with Franz Heinrich Kleinschmidt, he set up the first Rhenish mission station to the Here ...
and
Franz Heinrich Kleinschmidt
Franz Heinrich Kleinschmidt (1812–1864) was a German missionary and linguist who worked in southern Africa, now in the region of Namibia. He founded the missionary station and town of Rehoboth and together with Carl Hugo Hahn set up the first ...
, started working there in late 1842. Two years later they were driven out by two Methodist
Wesleyans
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
, Richard Haddy and Joseph Tindall.
Gardens were laid out and for a while Windhoek prospered. Wars between the
Nama and
Herero
Herero may refer to:
* Herero people, a people belonging to the Bantu group, with about 240,000 members alive today
* Herero language, a language of the Bantu family (Niger-Congo group)
* Herero and Namaqua Genocide
* Herero chat, a species of b ...
peoples eventually destroyed the settlement. After a long absence, Hahn visited Windhoek again in 1873 and was dismayed to see that nothing remained of the town's former prosperity. In June 1885, a Swiss
botanist
Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...
found only
jackals
Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...
and starving
guinea fowl
Guineafowl (; sometimes called "pet speckled hens" or "original fowl") are birds of the family Numididae in the order Galliformes. They are endemic to Africa and rank among the oldest of the gallinaceous birds. Phylogenetically, they branched o ...
amongst neglected fruit trees.
[Windhoek City Council: The History of Windhoek](_blank)
Colonial era
![Sanderburg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Sanderburg.jpg)
A request by merchants from
Lüderitzbucht resulted in the declaration in 1884 of a German
protectorate
A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over m ...
over what was called
German South West Africa
German South West Africa (german: Deutsch-Südwestafrika) was a colony of the German Empire from 1884 until 1915, though Germany did not officially recognise its loss of this territory until the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. With a total area of ...
(''Deutsch-Südwestafrika''), now Namibia. The borders of the German colony were determined in 1890 and Germany sent a protective corps, the ''
Schutztruppe
(, Protection Force) was the official name of the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire from the late 19th century to 1918. Similar to other colonial armies, the consisted of volunteer European commissioned ...
'' under Major
Curt von François, to maintain order. Von François stationed his garrison at Windhoek, which was strategically situated as a buffer between the warring
Nama and
Herero
Herero may refer to:
* Herero people, a people belonging to the Bantu group, with about 240,000 members alive today
* Herero language, a language of the Bantu family (Niger-Congo group)
* Herero and Namaqua Genocide
* Herero chat, a species of b ...
peoples. The twelve strong springs provided water for the cultivation of produce and grains.
Colonial Windhoek was founded on 18 October 1890, when von François fixed the foundation stone of the fort, which is now known as the
Alte Feste
The Alte Feste (Old Fortress) is a fortress and museum in downtown Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
The building was designed by captain Curt von François to serve as headquarters of the imperial German ''Schutztruppe'' (colonial military fo ...
(Old Fortress).
After 1907, development accelerated as indigenous people migrated from the countryside to the growing town to seek work. More European settlers arrived from Germany and South Africa. Businesses were erected on Kaiser Street (presently
Independence Avenue), and along the dominant mountain ridge over the city. At this time, Windhoek's three castles,
Heinitzburg,
Sanderburg
Sanderburg (''Sander's castle'') is the smallest of three castles in Windhoek, Namibia. It was built between 1917 and 1919 by architect Wilhelm Sander who designed it as his own place of residence. Its architectural style combines several medie ...
, and
Schwerinsburg, were built.
South African administration after World War I
The German colonial era came to an end after the end of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
but
South West Africa
South West Africa ( af, Suidwes-Afrika; german: Südwestafrika; nl, Zuidwest-Afrika) was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990, after which it became modern-day Namibia. It bordered Angola (Portuguese colony before 1 ...
, and with it Windhoek, already fell in 1915. Until the end of the war the city was administered by a South African military government, and no further development occurred.
In 1920, after the
Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles (french: Traité de Versailles; german: Versailler Vertrag, ) was the most important of the peace treaties of World War I. It ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. It was signed on 28 June ...
, the territory was placed under a
League of Nations
The League of Nations (french: link=no, Société des Nations ) was the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference that ...
Class C mandate and again administered by South Africa.
[Ieuan Griffith]
Walvis Bay: exclave no more
''Geography'', Vol. 79, No. 4 (October 1994), page 354
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
more capital became available to improve the area's economy. After 1955, large public projects were undertaken, such as the building of new schools and hospitals, tarring of the city's roads (a project begun in 1928 with Kaiser Street), and the building of dams and pipelines to stabilise the water supply.
The city introduced the world's first potable re-use plant in 1958, treating recycled sewage and sending it directly into the town's water supply. On 1 October 1966 the then Administrator of South West Africa granted Windhoek the coat of arms, which was registered on 2 October 1970 with the South African Bureau of Heraldry. Initially a stylized aloe was the principal emblem, but this was amended to a natural aloe (''
Aloe littoralis'') on 15 September 1972. The Coat of Arms is described as "A Windhoek aloe with a
raceme
A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...
of three flowers on an island. Crest: A mural crown
Or. Motto: SUUM CUIQUE (''To each their own'')".
Windhoek formally received its
town privileges
Town privileges or borough rights were important features of European towns during most of the second millennium. The city law customary in Central Europe probably dates back to Italian models, which in turn were oriented towards the tradition ...
on 18 October 1965 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the second foundation of the town by von François.
Since Namibian independence
Since independence in 1990, Windhoek has remained the national capital, as well as the provincial capital of the central
Khomas Region
Khomas is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia. Its name refers to the Khomas Highland, a high plateau landscape that dominates this administrative unit. Khomas is centered on the capital city Windhoek and provides for this reason superior trans ...
. Since independence and the end of warfare, the city has had accelerated growth and development.
Economy
The city is the administrative, commercial, and industrial center of Namibia. A 1992/93 study estimated that Windhoek provides over half of Namibia's non-agricultural employment, with its national share of employment in utilities being 96%, in transport and communication 94%, finance and business services 82%. Due to its relative size Windhoek is, even more than many other national capital cities, the social, economic, and cultural centre of the country. Nearly every national enterprise is headquartered here. The
University of Namibia
The University of Namibia (UNAM) is a multi-campus public research university in Namibia, as well as the largest university in the country. It was established by an act of Parliament on 31 August 1992.
Background
UNAM comprises the follow ...
is, too, as are the country's only theatre, all ministry head offices, and all major media and financial entities.
The governmental budget of the city of Windhoek nearly equals those of all other Namibian local authorities combined.
Of the 3,300 US$-millionaires in Namibia, 1,400 live in Windhoek.
Transport
Road
![Independence Avenue Windhoek Namibia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Independence_Avenue_Windhoek_Namibia.jpg)
Windhoek's three main access roads from
Rehoboth,
Gobabis
, nickname =
, settlement_type = City
, motto = Ex Oriente Lux
, image_skyline = Gobabis Namibia aerial.jpg
, imagesize = 300px
, imag ...
, and
Okahandja
Okahandja is a city of 24,100 inhabitants in Otjozondjupa Region, central Namibia, and the district capital of the Okahandja electoral constituency. It is known as the ''Garden Town of Namibia''. It is located 70 km north of Windhoek on the ...
are paved, and are designed to be able to withstand the largest possible flood to be expected in fifty years. Sealed roads can carry traffic moving at and should last for 20 years.
In 1928, Kaiserstraße, now
Independence Avenue, was the first paved road in Windhoek. Ten years later the next one, Gobabis road, now Sam Nujoma Drive, was also paved. Today out of ca. of Namibia's total road network, about is
sealed.
In 2014, The Roads Authority has planned to upgrade the Windhoek-
Okahandja
Okahandja is a city of 24,100 inhabitants in Otjozondjupa Region, central Namibia, and the district capital of the Okahandja electoral constituency. It is known as the ''Garden Town of Namibia''. It is located 70 km north of Windhoek on the ...
road to a dual carriageway. It costs about N$1 billion and is expected to be completed in 2021. Later on, they also plan to upgrade the Windhoek and Hosea Kutako International Airport to a dual carriageway. This is expected to be completed in 2022.
As everywhere in Namibia, public transport is scarce and transportation across town is largely done by taxi; there were 6,492 registered taxis in 2013.
Air
Windhoek is served by two airports, with the closest one being
Eros Airport
Eros Airport or Windhoek Eros Airport is an airport serving Windhoek, the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in the Khomas Region, about south of Windhoek's central business district and was a secondary hub for Air Namibia.
O ...
, located south of the city center for smaller craft, and the other being
Hosea Kutako International Airport
Hosea Kutako International Airport (also known as HKIA) is the main international airport of Namibia, serving the capital city Windhoek. Located well east of the city, , it is Namibia's largest airport with international connections. From it ...
, east of the city. A number of foreign airlines operate to and from Windhoek. Air charters and helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft rentals are also available.
![Hosea Kutako International Airport, Namibia (2017)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Hosea_Kutako_International_Airport%2C_Namibia_%282017%29.jpg)
Hosea Kutako International Airport handles over 800,000 passengers a year. It has one runway without capacity limitations. The other international airport is located in
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay ( en, lit. Whale Bay; af, Walvisbaai; ger, Walfischbucht or Walfischbai) is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies. It is the second largest city in Namibia and the largest coastal city in the country. The c ...
, with domestic airports at
Lüderitz
Lüderitz is a town in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia. It lies on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.
The town is known for its colonial architecture, includi ...
,
Oranjemund
Oranjemund (German for ''"Mouth of Orange"'') is a diamond mining town of 4,000 inhabitants situated in the ǁKaras Region of the extreme southwest of Namibia, on the northern bank of the Orange River mouth at the border to South Africa.
Histo ...
and
Ondangwa.
Eros Airport
Eros Airport or Windhoek Eros Airport is an airport serving Windhoek, the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in the Khomas Region, about south of Windhoek's central business district and was a secondary hub for Air Namibia.
O ...
is the busiest airport in Namibia in terms of take offs and landings. This city airport handles approximately 150 to 200 movements per day (around 50,000 per year). In 2004, the airport served 141,605 passengers, the majority of which are light aircraft. Primarily, limitations such as runway length, noise, and air space congestion have kept Eros from developing into a larger airport. Most of Namibia's charter operators have Eros as their base.
Rail
Windhoek is
connected by rail to:
*
Okahandja
Okahandja is a city of 24,100 inhabitants in Otjozondjupa Region, central Namibia, and the district capital of the Okahandja electoral constituency. It is known as the ''Garden Town of Namibia''. It is located 70 km north of Windhoek on the ...
(north)
*
Rehoboth (south)
*
Gobabis
, nickname =
, settlement_type = City
, motto = Ex Oriente Lux
, image_skyline = Gobabis Namibia aerial.jpg
, imagesize = 300px
, imag ...
(east)
Geography
![Windhoek Luftaufnahme](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Windhoek_Luftaufnahme.jpg)
Expanding the town area has – apart from financial restrictions – proven to be challenging due to its geographical location. In southern, eastern and western directions, Windhoek is surrounded by rocky, mountainous areas, which make land development costly. The southern side is not suitable for industrial development because of the presence of underground
aquifers
An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...
. This leaves the vast
Brakwater
Brakwater (Afrikaans: ''brackish water'') is a settlement north of Windhoek in the Khomas Region of Namibia. It belongs to the Windhoek Rural electoral constituency.
Brakwater was the end point of the first 17 km of non-gravel road in South Wes ...
area north of town the only feasible place for Windhoek's expansion.
["Windhoek's battle for land"](_blank)
, by Desie Heita; ''New Era,'' 10 Feb 2010
Windhoek's City Council has plans to dramatically expand the city's boundaries such that the town area will cover . Windhoek would become the third-largest city in the world by area, after
Tianjin
Tianjin (; ; Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Tientsin (), is a municipality and a coastal metropolis in Northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the nine national central cities in Mainland China, with a total popul ...
and
Istanbul
Istanbul ( , ; tr, İstanbul ), formerly known as Constantinople ( grc-gre, Κωνσταντινούπολις; la, Constantinopolis), is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, serving as the country's economic, ...
, although its population density is only 63 inhabitants per square kilometre.
Suburbs
Windhoek is subdivided into the following suburbs and townships:
* Academia
* Auasblick
* Avis
*
Cimbebasia Cimbebasia was the name given for a long time to the western part of Southern Africa. Its borders in the north were the Kunene River, the lower Kasai River and the western reaches of the Zambezi River.
''Cimbebasia'' was also a journal published b ...
* Dorado Park
* Donkerhoek
*
Elisenheim
Elisenheim is a residential area north of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and A ...
* Eros
* Eros Park
* Freedom Land
*
Groot Aub (since September 2017)
*
Greenwell Matongo
* Goreangab
*
Hakahana
Hakahana is a suburb of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. The township is situated in the north of the town between the suburbs of Katutura, Wanaheda, and Okuryangava.
Hakahana was also a former constituency in Khomas Region, Namibia. In 20 ...
* Havanna
*
Hochland Park
Hochland Park (also ''Hochlandpark'', seldom ''Highland Park'') is a residential suburb in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It is named after the German ''Khomas Hochland'', the central-Namibian plateau area in which Windhoek is situated.
Hochlan ...
*
Katutura
Katutura (Otjiherero for ''The place where people do not want to live'') is a township of Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia. Katutura was created in 1961 following the forced removal of Windhoek's black population from the Old Location, which af ...
*
Khomasdal
Khomasdal is a suburb of Namibia's capital of Windhoek in the Khomas Region. Founded as Windhoek's residential area for Coloured people, Khomasdal still is primarily composed of Coloured people.
In October 2006, the City of Windhoek announ ...
*
Kleine Kuppe
Kleine Kuppe ( in German) is a residential suburb in the south of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Kleine Kuppe is a middle income suburb that is bordered by the suburbs of Olympia to the north and Cimbebasia to the west. The Windhoek Gymnasium ...
*
Klein Windhoek
Klein Windhoek ( in German) is an affluent suburb of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
History
The British explorer James Alexander had already visited the area in 1837. Klein Windhoek is the oldest part of the town, having been established in ...
* Lafrenz Industrial Area
* Ludwigsdorf
* Luxury Hill (Luxushügel)
* Maxuilili
* Northern Industrial Area
*
Okuryangava
Okuryangava is a suburb of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It is a township, situated in the north of the town between the suburbs of Freedomland, Golgota and Ombili in Katutura
Katutura (Otjiherero for ''The place where people do not want t ...
* Olympia
* Ombili
*
Otjomuise
Otjomuise ( in Otjiherero) is a township in north-western Windhoek, Namibia.
8ste Laan
8ste Laan ( in Afrikaans) is an unincorporated informal settlement adjacent to the Otjomuise residential area. The City of Windhoek claims that the land is ...
*
Pionierspark
* Prosperita
*
Rocky Crest
Windhoek (, , ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek in 202 ...
* Southern Industrial Area
* Suiderhof
* Tauben Glen
*
Wanaheda
Samora Machel Constituency (formerly known as Wanaheda Constituency) is a constituency in Windhoek in the Khomas Region of central Namibia. The constituency is located across four northern suburbs of Windhoek: Wanaheda, Greenwell Matongo, Gorea ...
*
Windhoek Central
* Windhoek North
*
Windhoek West
In many of Windhoek's townships residents live in
shacks. In 2020 the city had a total of 41,900 of these informal housing structures, accommodating close to 100,000 inhabitants.
Climate
Windhoek has over 300 sunny days per year. It experiences a hot
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(''BSh'') according to
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
as the annual average temperature is above . The temperature throughout the year would be called mild, due to altitude influence. The annual average high and low temperature range is . The coldest month is July, with an average temperature of , while the hottest month is December, with average temperature . Due to its location near the
Kalahari Desert
The Kalahari Desert is a large semi-arid sandy savanna in Southern Africa extending for , covering much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa.
It is not to be confused with the Angolan, Namibian, and South African Namib coastal de ...
, the city receives 3,605 hours of sunshine. Precipitation is abundant during the summer season, and minimal during the winter season. The average annual precipitation is , with lows of in the 2018/19 rainy season, and in 1929/30.
Demographics
In 1971, there were roughly 26,000 whites living in Windhoek, outnumbering the black population of 24,000. About one third of white residents at the time, at least 9,000 individuals, were German speakers. Windhoek's population stands at over 325,858 (65% black; 17% white; 18% other), and is growing 4% annually in part due to
informal settlement
Informal housing or informal settlement can include any form of housing, shelter, or settlement (or lack thereof) which is illegal, falls outside of government control or regulation, or is not afforded protection by the state. As such, the inform ...
s that have even higher growth rates of nearly 10% a year.
In public life,
Afrikaans
Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...
, and to a lesser extent
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, are still used as lingua francas even though the government only uses English. Currently Windhoek has an population of 431,000 as of 2020.
Politics
Local authority elections
Windhoek is the only self-governed settlement in Khomas Region. It is governed by a multi-party municipal council that has fifteen seats. The council meets monthly; its decisions are taken collectively.
SWAPO
The South West Africa People's Organisation (, SWAPO; af, Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; german: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former ind ...
won the
2015 local authority election and gained twelve seats, by having 37,533 votes. Three opposition parties gained one seat each: The
Popular Democratic Movement
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), formerly the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA), is an amalgamation of political parties in Namibia, registered as one singular party for representation purposes. In coalition with the United Democratic ...
(PDM), formerly DTA, with 4,171 votes, the
National Unity Democratic Organisation
The National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) is a political party in Namibia. It has been represented in the National Assembly of Namibia and in the National Council of Namibia since it split from the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (now PDM ...
(NUDO) with 1,453 votes, and the
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) with 1,422 votes. SWAPO also won the
2020 local authority election but lost the majority control over the town council. It obtained 20,250 votes and gained five seats. The
Independent Patriots for Change
The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) is a political party in Namibia. It was founded by Panduleni Itula in August 2020. As an independent presidential candidate in the November 2019 election, Itula won the best result of a losing candidat ...
(IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020, obtained 14,028 votes and gained four seats. Two seats each went to the local branch of the
Affirmative Repositioning
Affirmative Repositioning (AR) is a leftist political movement in Namibia mainly focused on land reform, youth empowerment and social reform. Founded in 2014 by Job Amupanda, Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and George Kambala, the AR uses social media platf ...
movement (8,501 votes) and the
Landless People's Movement
The Landless People's Movement was an independent social movement in South Africa. It consisted of rural people and people living in shack settlements in cities. The Landless People's Movement boycotted parliamentary elections and had a histor ...
(LPM, a new party registered in 2018, 7,365 votes). PDM (5,411 votes) and NUDO (1,455 votes) obtained one seat each.
Twin towns and sister cities
Windhoek is
twinned with:
*
Berlin
Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...
, Germany
*
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. , Cuba
*
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
, South Africa
*
Kingston, Jamaica
*
Nanjing
Nanjing (; , Mandarin pronunciation: ), alternately romanized as Nanking, is the capital of Jiangsu province of the People's Republic of China. It is a sub-provincial city, a megacity, and the second largest city in the East China region. T ...
, China
*
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, United States
*
San Antonio
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, s ...
, United States
*
Shanghai
Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
, China
*
Suzhou
Suzhou (; ; Suzhounese: ''sou¹ tseu¹'' , Mandarin: ), alternately romanized as Soochow, is a major city in southern Jiangsu province, East China. Suzhou is the largest city in Jiangsu, and a major economic center and focal point of trade ...
, China
*
Trossingen
Trossingen ( Swabian: ''Drossinge'') is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in a region called Baar, between the Swabian Alb and the Black Forest. Stuttgart is about an hour away, Lake Constance about half an hour, and the s ...
, Germany
Culture
Windhoek is known as the art capital of Namibia. The
National Art Gallery
List of national galleries is a list of national art galleries.
{{tocright Africa
*Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
*National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
The Americas
*Galería Nacional, San Juan, Puerto ...
,
National Theatre and the
National Museum
A national museum is a museum maintained and funded by a national government. In many countries it denotes a museum run by the central government, while other museums are run by regional or local governments. In other countries a much greater numb ...
are all located here. Two locations are part of the National Museum, the
Alte Feste
The Alte Feste (Old Fortress) is a fortress and museum in downtown Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
The building was designed by captain Curt von François to serve as headquarters of the imperial German ''Schutztruppe'' (colonial military fo ...
(historical) showcases a range of colonial items such as wagons and domestic items, while the
Owela Museum
Owela, also referred to by the Khoekhoe language loanword hus, () is the Oshiwambo name of a traditional mancala board game played by the Nama people, Herero people, Rukwangali speakers, and other ethnic groups from Namibia (and its Southern Af ...
(scientific; named after
Owela
Owela, also referred to by the Khoekhoe language loanword hus, () is the Oshiwambo name of a traditional mancala board game played by the Nama people, Herero people, Rukwangali speakers, and other ethnic groups from Namibia (and its Southern A ...
, a traditional game played with pebbles) contains displays of minerals, fossils and meteorites and gives an insight into traditional village life. There are also the
Independence Memorial Museum, the
National Library of Namibia
The National Library of Namibia (NLN) is the legal deposit and copyright library for Namibia. The library is situated in Windhoek. NLN belongs to the National Library and Archives service of the Namibian government, in the Ministry of Education ...
and the
Windhoek Public Library, built in 1925, next to the Alte Feste.
Places of worship
![Kirche Windhuk](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Kirche_Windhuk.JPG)
The
places of worship
A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...
are predominantly
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
churches and temples: those of
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) is a Lutheran denomination based in Namibia. It has a total membership of over 772,398, mainly in Northern Namibia. Formerly known as the Evangelical Lutheran Ovambo-Kavango Church (ELOC), it pla ...
,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia
) is a Lutheran denomination based in Namibia. It has a total membership of about 420,000.
The ELCRN grew out of work done by the Rhenish Missionary Society starting in 1842. The denomination was established in 1957 as the Evangelical Lutheran Chu ...
,
German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
The German-speaking Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (known as GELC, GELK, or DELK) is a Lutheran denomination based in Namibia. It was founded in 1960, and has 4,434 members.
GELC joined the Lutheran World Federation in 1963. It is also a m ...
(all three members of the
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF; german: Lutherischer Weltbund) is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran denominations headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish ...
),
Baptist Convention of Namibia (
Baptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is the largest international Baptist organization with an estimated 51 million people in 2022 with 246 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA account ...
),
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
,
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Windhoek
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Windhoek ( la, Vindhoeken(sis)) is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Windhoek in Namibia. The predecessor to the current Archdiocese, the Prefecture Apostolic of Cimbebasia, was established ...
(
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
). There are also a few
Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the mai ...
mosques in the city, including the
Windhoek Islamic Center.
Architecture
![Parlament Windhuk](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d0/Parlament_Windhuk.JPG)
*
Alte Feste
The Alte Feste (Old Fortress) is a fortress and museum in downtown Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.
The building was designed by captain Curt von François to serve as headquarters of the imperial German ''Schutztruppe'' (colonial military fo ...
– (''Old Fortress'') Built in 1890, today houses the National Museum.
*
Curt von François
Curt Karl Bruno von François (2 October 1852 – 28 December 1931) was a German geographer, cartographer, Schutztruppe officer and commissioner of the imperial colonial army of the German Empire, particularly in German South West Africa (today' ...
monument in front of the municipality building. Inaugurated on 18 October 1965 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the second foundation of the town by von François. The statue was removed of its location, in front of the municipal grounds, on the 23 November 2022 and will be stored in the local Windhoek City Museum.
[
* Heroes' Acre - A national war and heroes memorial, about 10 km outside of the city.
* ]Independence Memorial Museum (Namibia)
The Independence Memorial Museum is a history museum in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It focuses on the anti-colonial resistance and the national liberation movement of Namibia.
The museum is located on Robert Mugabe Avenue and was designe ...
- A historical museum focusing on the anti-colonial resistance and the national liberation movement of the Republic of Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
.
* National Council (Namibia)
The National Council is the upper chamber of Namibia's bicameral Parliament. It reviews bills passed by the lower chamber and makes recommendations for legislation of regional concern to the lower chamber.
The 42 National Council members are in ...
- The upper chamber of Namibia's bicameral Parliament.
* Reiterdenkmal (''Equestrian Monument''), a statue celebrating the victory of the German Empire over the Herero and Nama in the Herero and Namaqua War of 1904–1907 The statue has been removed from its historical place next to ''Christuskirche'' in December 2013 and is now on display in the yard of the ''Alte Feste''.
* State House, Windhoek - The official residence of the President of Namibia
The president of the Republic of Namibia is the head of state and the head of government of Namibia. The president directs the executive branch of the Government of Namibia, as chair of the Cabinet and is the commander-in-chief of the armed fo ...
.
* Supreme Court of Namibia – situated in Michael Scott Street on Eliakim Namundjebo Plaza. Built between 1994 and 1996 it is Windhoek's only building erected post-independence in an African style of architecture.
* The three castles of Windhoek built by architect Wilhelm Sander: Heinitzburg, Sanderburg
Sanderburg (''Sander's castle'') is the smallest of three castles in Windhoek, Namibia. It was built between 1917 and 1919 by architect Wilhelm Sander who designed it as his own place of residence. Its architectural style combines several medie ...
, and Schwerinsburg
* Tintenpalast
The Parliament Building, Windhoek, also known as ''Tintenpalast'' ( German for ''Ink Palace''), is the seat of both houses of the Parliament of Namibia (the National Council and the National Assembly). It is located in the Namibian capital of W ...
– (''Ink Palace'') within Parliament Gardens, the seat of both chambers of the Parliament of Namibia
The Parliament of Namibia is the national legislature of Namibia. It is a bicameral legislature and, thus, consists of two houses: the National Council (upper house) and the National Assembly ( lower house).
All cabinet members are also memb ...
. Built between 1912 and 1913 and situated just north of ''Robert Mugabe Avenue''.
* Turnhalle – neo-classicist building of Wilhelmine architecture, inaugurated in 1909.
* Windhoek Railway Station - A historical railway station serving the city of Windhoek
Windhoek (, , ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek in 20 ...
.
* Zoo Park
Zoo Park is a public park on Independence Avenue in downtown Windhoek, Namibia. It is also a focal point of social life in the city – a public park on Independence Avenue in downtown Windhoek. The current park is landscaped and features a pond, playground and open-air theatre.
Sport
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
is a popular sport in Namibia
Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...
, and the national team is called the ''Welwitchias''. Namibia has made the Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is a men's rugby union tournament contested every four years between the top international teams. The tournament is administered by World Rugby, the sport's international governing body. The winners are awarded the Webb E ...
on six occasions, in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019, but has never won a game.
The city has several football clubs which include African Stars F.C., Black Africa F.C.
Black Africa Sports Club is a Namibian football team from Katutura, Windhoek that plays in the Namibia Premier Football League.
Performance
Achievements
*Namibia Premier League: 10
**1987, 1989, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019 ...
, F.C. Civics Windhoek
The FC Civics Windhoek (Civics) is a Namibian football club based in Windhoek. The Civics play in the highest division of Namibian football, the Namibia Premier League. The club has its home in Khomasdal, in the north of the Namibian capital Win ...
, Orlando Pirates F.C.
Orlando Pirates Football Club (often known as "The Buccaneers") is a South African professional football club based in the Houghton suburb of the city of Johannesburg and plays in the top-tier system of Football in South Africa known as DSt ...
, Ramblers F.C.
The Ramblers is a Namibian Association football, football club from Pionierspark, Windhoek.
History
The Ramblers have played in the country's highest division, the Namibia Premier League and the club was previously known as Windhoek Optics Rambl ...
and SK Windhoek
The Sport Klub Windhoek, also known as SK Windhoek, SKW, and Cymot SKW due to sponsorship reasons, is a Namibian sports club based in Windhoek. They played in the highest division of Namibian football (soccer), the Namibia Premier League until 20 ...
, Tigers F.C., Tura Magic F.C.
Tura Magic F.C. is a Football in Namibia, Namibian football club based in Windhoek. It plays in the Namibia Premier Football League.
References
2006 establishments in Namibia
Association football clubs established in 2006
Football club ...
, Citizens F.C.
Many boxers such as Paulus Moses
Paulus Moses (born 4 June 1978) is a Namibian professional boxer who held the WBA (Regular) lightweight title from 2009 to 2010. He retired on 20 October 2018, shortly after losing his WBO Africa middleweight fight in Accra, Ghana.
Profession ...
, Paulus Ambunda
Paulus Natangwe Ambunda (born 6 August 1980) is a Namibian boxer who participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics. As a professional, he held the WBO bantamweight title in 2013, and twice the IBO bantamweight title in 2015 and in 2018.
Amateur c ...
and Abmerk Shindjuu are from the city.
The Namibia national cricket team
The Namibia national cricket team, nicknamed the Eagles, is the men's team that represents the Republic of Namibia in international cricket. It is organised by Cricket Namibia which became an associate member of the International Cricket Cou ...
, the Eagles, plays the majority of its home games at the Wanderers Cricket Ground
Wanderers Cricket Ground is a cricket ground in Windhoek, Namibia. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1990 when Namibia played the Netherlands.
The ground held its first List A match in the 2001/02 6 Nations Challenge when Namibia p ...
. It has also played at other grounds in the city, including the United Ground
United Ground also known as TrustCo United Sports Field is a cricket ground in Windhoek, Namibia. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1990 when Namibia played the Netherlands.
The ground held its first List A match in the 2001/02 6 N ...
and the Trans Namib Ground
Trans Namib Ground (also known as the Centre for Cricket Development Ground) is a cricket ground in Windhoek, Namibia. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1998 when a Windhoek Select XI played Denmark.
The ground held its first List ...
. The team took part in the 2003 Cricket World Cup
The 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup was the eighth Cricket World Cup, organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC). It was co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya from 9 February to 23 March 2003. This edition of the World Cup was the f ...
in South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
, though they lost all their games. They have played in each edition of the ICC Intercontinental Cup
The ICC Intercontinental Cup was a first-class cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as part of its cricket development programme. It was designed to allow Associate Members of the ICC the chance to play first ...
.
Men's baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
was introduced to Namibia in 1950 at the Ramblers sports club in town.
The 'Tony Rust Raceway' is located west of Windhoek on the Daan Viljoen road, and reopened in 2007. Farm Windhoek
Farm Windhoek is a commercial farm adjacent to the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, with mixed recreational and agricultural use. It belongs to the City of Windhoek and is leased to different private operators. As a public recreational area its mai ...
, located adjacent to the townlands and owned by the municipality, is a sports venue for hiking, running, and mountain biking.
Education
Tertiary institutions
The general institutions of higher education in Windhoek are:
* University of Namibia
The University of Namibia (UNAM) is a multi-campus public research university in Namibia, as well as the largest university in the country. It was established by an act of Parliament on 31 August 1992.
Background
UNAM comprises the follow ...
(UNAM)
* Namibia University of Science and Technology
The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), formerly known as Polytechnic of Namibia, is a public university located in the city of Windhoek, Namibia. Andrew Niikondo is its acting vice-chancellor. NUST was headed by the founding ...
(NUST), until 2015 the ''Polytechnic of Namibia''
* International University of Management
The International University of Management (IUM) is a private, state-recognized university based in Windhoek, Namibia. It has campuses in Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Ongwediva and Nkurenkuru.
History
The university was founded by David Namwandi i ...
(IUM)
Other institutions
Other recognisable institutions of higher learning:
* Institute of Information Technology (IIT)
* College of the Arts (COTA)
Secondary schools
Windhoek 29 secondary schools and 58 primary schools. Some of the notable schools are:
* A. Shipena Secondary School
* Academia Secondary School
Academia Secondary School is a secondary school in Windhoek, Namibia. It is situated in the Academia suburb.
Forty years ago on 22 January 1975, Academia Secondary School opened for the first time with 19 staff members and 227 pupils in Standar ...
* Augustineum Secondary School
The Augustineum Secondary School, established in 1866, is among the oldest schools in Namibia. Originally situated in Otjimbingwe, it was relocated to Okahandja in 1890, and finally to Windhoek in 1968. Previously also known as the Augustineum ...
* Centaurus High School
* Concordia College
* Cosmos High School
Cosmos High School is a polytechnical school in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It is situated in Hans-Dietrich Genscher street in the suburb of Khomasdal.
History
Cosmos opened on 17 January 1989 and was officially inaugurated on 30 May 199 ...
* Chairman Mao Zedong High School
* Dagbreek School for the Intellectually Impaired
* David Bezuidenhout Secondary School
* Delta Secondary School Windhoek
Delta Secondary School Windhoek (DSSW) (german: Delta Oberschule Windhoek, DOSW) previously known as ''Deutsche Oberschule Windhoek'', is a government secondary school in Namibia. Situated in the capital Windhoek, it was separated from its younger ...
(DSSW)
* Deutsche Höhere Privatschule
Deutsch or Deutsche may refer to:
*''Deutsch'' or ''(das) Deutsche'': the German language, in Germany and other places
*''Deutsche'': Germans, as a weak masculine, feminine or plural demonym
*Deutsch (word), originally referring to the Germanic ve ...
(DHPS)
* Ella du Plessis High School
Ella Du Plessis High School is a school in the Khomasdal suburb of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was established in 1964 by Andrew John Fred Kloppers, who was also the first principal of the school. He started the school with only 52 learner ...
* Eros School for Girls
* Hage Geingob High School
* Holy Cross Convent School
* Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School
Immanuel Shifidi Secondary School is a public school in Windhoek, Namibia. The school was known as ''Katutura Secondary School'' up to 1986 when the name was changed to Immanuel Shifidi
Immanuel Hafeni Augustus Shifidi (16 July 1929 – 30 No ...
* Jakob Marengo Secondary School
Jacob Marengo Tutorial College (JMTC) also known as Jacob Marengo Senior Secondary School in Namibia, located at Mungunda Street in Katutura, Windhoek
History
Founded by Ottilie Abrahams in 1985. Jacob Marengo Tutorial College was established to ...
* Jan Jonker Afrikaner High School
Jan Jonker Afrikaner is a senior secondary school in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It is situated in the Katutura suburb, and is named for Jan Jonker Afrikaner, Captain of the Orlam Afrikaners in South West Africa.
Jan Jonker Afrikaner Hi ...
* Jan Möhr Secondary School
* Saint George's Diocesan College
* Pionier Boys' School
* Saint Paul's College
* Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaatskool (WAP)
* Windhoek Gymnasium Private School (WHK Gym)
* Windhoek High School
Windhoek High School (WHS) is a secondary school in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Popularly known as ‘’The Blue School’’, it was founded on 5 February 1917, making it one of the oldest existing schools in the country. Currently, WHS is ...
(WHS)
* Windhoek International School (WIS)
Notable people
*Frank Fredericks
Frank "Frankie" Fredericks (born 2 October 1967) is a former track and field athlete from Namibia. Running in the 100 metres and 200 metres, he won four silver medals at the Olympic Games (two in 1992 and two in 1996), making him Namibia's only ...
, (born 1967), Namibian athlete
* Quido (Le-Roy Quido Mohamed), (born 1989), Namibian rapper
See also
* List of mayors of Windhoek
The city of Windhoek, capital of South West Africa, then Namibia, was officially founded on 18 October 1890 by Curt Karl Bruno von François, an Imperial German Colonial Official in the ''Schutztruppe'', to serve as capital of German South West ...
* List of cemeteries in Windhoek
A complete list of cemeteries in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia:
Historic cemeteries
* Leutwein Cemetery (1892–1904), situated between Robert Mugabe Avenue and Leutwein Street in Central Windhoek. Sometimes regarded as two different cemeteri ...
References
Bibliography
External links
Official homepage of the City of Windhoek
{{Authority control
Populated places in the Khomas Region
Regional capitals in Namibia
German South West Africa
1840 establishments in South West Africa
Populated places established in 1840
Cities in Namibia
Capitals in Africa