Namibia is very sparsely populated. In total, the country has only about 2.1 million inhabitants. A third lives in Central Namibia, with Windhoek alone having more than 300,000 people residing. Only 7% of the population live in the southern region, while the West and the Namib Desert, except the port cities, are almost deserted.

The climate in Namibia is generally dry and hot. During the winter months, the nights can be very cold. The largest part of the country is located in the tropical summer rainfall area, i.e. with irregular but occasionally very heavy rainfall from November to April. By contrast, the extreme south is located in the winter rainfall region where rainfalls occur mainly in the months of June and July, if at all.

German South West Africa was occupied by South Africa during the First World War and allocated to the Union of South Africa as a mandate by decision of the League of Nations 1920. In the following years, the South African government succeeded in reducing the formerly strong German influence and, in return, transform Namibia to a kind of South African colony - including the extension of the policy of apartheid to the mandated territory. After the Second World War, this policy caused numerous, but unsuccessful attempts of the UN to withdraw the former League of Nations mandate from South Africa. This withdrawal was demanded by the UN General Assembly, as South Africa did not fulfill his duty to inform about the mandate area. Only after the International Court of Justice in The Hague declared the South African government as illegal in 1971, South Africa was willing to dismiss West Africa into independence in 1972, after an adequate transitional period.

On 21 March 1990, Namibia was finally given its independence, after more than 100 years of foreign rule.

Already in the 1950s, Southwest Africa had become an interesting tourist area because of the size of the country, its diversity of landscape and its variety of animals - first, however, especially for the neighboring South African tourists who found untouched nature and endless landscapes there. In addition, Namibia was administrad by South African, so the at this time isolated South Africans did not need any entry and stay obligations.

In 2010, tourism contributed 14% of GDP, making it the country's second most important industry. The turnover made up more than 11 billion Namibian dollars.