Windhoek, the captial of Namibia

Wednesday, 11 July 2012 - 01:37 pm (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination:
Category/Kategorie: General
Reading Time:  3 minutes

Aerial view © Brian McMorrow

Aerial view © Brian McMorrow

Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek’s population was 233,529. A population influx from all over Namibia has caused researchers to estimate the figure now to be well over 300,000.

The town developed at the site of a permanent spring known to the indigenous pastoral communities. It developed rapidly after Jonker Afrikaner, Captain of the Orlam settled here in 1840 and built a stone church for his community. However, in the decades thereafter multiple wars and hostilities led to the neglect and destruction of the new settlement such that Windhoek was founded a second time in 1890 by Imperial German army Major Curt von François.

Southwest Rider statue and Christ Church © Freddy Weber / Roger Zenner Sanderburg, one of Windhoek's castles © Pgallert Parliament Gardens © Foundert Independence Avenue, mainstreet in downtown Windhoek © Freddy Weber / Roger Zenner Curt von François statue, founder of modern Windhoek © Wiebke Schmidt Aerial view © Brian McMorrow
<
>
Independence Avenue, mainstreet in downtown Windhoek © Freddy Weber / Roger Zenner
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 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. Air Namibia has its main office in the Trans Namib Building in Windhoek. Several shopping malls were built in the post-independence era, including Maerua Mall, and Wernhil Park Mall.

Windhoek is served by two airports. The closest one is Eros 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) south of the city center for smaller craft, and Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport 42 kilometres (26 mi) 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.

Read more on City of Windhoek, Wikitravel Windhoek and Wikipedia Windhoek. Photos by Wikipedia Commons.




Recommended posts:

Share this post: (Please note data protection regulations before using buttons)

European Heritage Label

European Heritage Label

[caption id="attachment_233989" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Andrijana F/cc-by-sa-4.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The European Heritage Label is a recognition awarded by the European Union to buildings, documents, museums, archives, monuments or events which are seen as milestones in the creation of today's Europe. The program is managed by the European Commission. The European Heritage Label started as an intergovernmental initiative between 17 individual EU member states during a meeting in Granada, Spain on 28 Ap...

[ read more ]

The Astor

The Astor

[caption id="attachment_152642" align="aligncenter" width="590"] MS Astor in Kiel © VollwertBIT/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]MS Astor is a cruise ship owned by the Germany-based Premicon, under charter to the Germany-based Transocean Tours. She was built in 1987 under the name Astor by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), Kiel, for the Mauritius-based Marlan Corporation, although originally ordered by the South African Safmarine as a combined ocean liner/cruise ship for the Southampton-Cape Town service. In 198...

[ read more ]

French Riviera, the pearl chain on the Mediterranean

French Riviera, the pearl chain on the Mediterranean

[caption id="attachment_146372" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Markus Bernet - www.demis.nl[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The French Riviera is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and diverse areas in Europe. This is where the sophisticated charm of St. Tropez, Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo meet the original and rural life in Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. The incomparable play of color on the beaches and in the landscape meet the Maritime Alps. You simply have to experience it oon your own. Off the main tourist track even today ...

[ read more ]

The National School of Administration in Strasbourg

The National School of Administration in Strasbourg

[caption id="attachment_25428" align="aligncenter" width="590"] ENA Strasbourg © Rémi LEBLOND/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The École nationale d'administration, one of the French graduate schools (Grandes écoles), was created in 1945 by Charles de Gaulle to democratise access to the senior civil service. It is now entrusted with the selection and initial training of senior French officials. The ENA is one of the symbols of the Republican meritocracy, along with École normale supérieure and Ecole polytechnique ("X...

[ read more ]

Grand Palais and Petit Palais in Paris

Grand Palais and Petit Palais in Paris

[caption id="attachment_24072" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Grand Palais © MarkusMark[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées, commonly known as the Grand Palais (English: Great Palace), is a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex located between the Avenue des Champs-Élysées and River Seine on Avenue Winston Churchill in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. Construction of the Grand Palais began in 1897 following the demolition of the Palais de l'Industrie (Palace of Industry) as part ...

[ read more ]

Golden Temple in Amritsar

Golden Temple in Amritsar

[caption id="attachment_215705" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Sarovar and the Golden Temple © flickr.com - Ken Wieland/cc-by-sa-2.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, meaning "abode of God" or Darbār Sahib, meaning "exalted court", is a gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism. The gurdwara is built around a man-made pool that was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das in 1577. Guru Arjan, the fifth Guru ...

[ read more ]

Theme Week Berkshire - Hungerford

Theme Week Berkshire - Hungerford

[caption id="attachment_233707" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Cottages at Leverton © geograph.org.uk - AJD/cc-by-sa-2.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Hungerford is a historic market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 8 miles (13 km) west of Newbury, 9 miles (14 km) east of Marlborough, 27 miles (43 km) northeast of Salisbury and 60 miles (97 km) west of London. The Kennet and Avon Canal passes through the town alongside the River Dun, a major tributary of the River Kennet. The confluence with the Kennet is to the north...

[ read more ]

The New York Times Building

The New York Times Building

[caption id="attachment_26670" align="aligncenter" width="590"] © Jleon/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]The New York Times Building is a skyscraper on the west side of Midtown Manhattan that was completed in 2007. Its chief tenant is The New York Times Company, publisher of The New York Times as well as the International New York Times, and other newspapers. The building is tied with the Chrysler Building as the fourth tallest building in New York City, after only One World Trade Center, Empire State Building und Bank of...

[ read more ]

Theme Week Malaysia - Kuching

Theme Week Malaysia - Kuching

[caption id="attachment_203643" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Damai Beach Resort north of Kuching © flickr.com - Bernard DUPONT/cc-by-sa-2.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Kuching, officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is situated on the Sarawak River at the southwest tip of the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 square kilometres (166 sq mi) with a population about 165,642 ...

[ read more ]

Cordouan Lighthouse

Cordouan Lighthouse

[caption id="attachment_164322" align="aligncenter" width="590"] Lighthouse of Cordouan © Yann Gwilhoù/cc-by-sa-3.0[/caption][responsivevoice_button voice="UK English Female" buttontext="Listen to this Post"]Cordouan lighthouse is an active lighthouse located 7 km at sea, near the mouth of the Gironde estuary in France. At a height of 223 feet (68 m) it is the tenth tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world. The Tour de Cordouan, the 'Patriarch of Lighthouses', is by far the oldest lighthouse in France. It was designed by leading Paris architect Louis de Foix, and is something of a Renai...

[ read more ]

Return to TopReturn to Top
Tulle Prefecture © F. Lavie
Tulle in central France

Tulle is a commune and capital of the Corrèze département in the Limousin region in central France on the west...

Piazza Risorgimento © Davide Papalini
Alba in the Piedmont region

Alba is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of...

Map of Santa Fe Trail © US National Park Service
The Santa Fe National Historic Trail

The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri with Santa Fe,...

Schließen