纳米比亚的大部分人是非白种人(84%),其中大部分为奥万博族(Ovambo),约占总人口的一半,主要集中在北部地区。除了占大多数的黑人班图族(Bantu)外,还有大群的科伊桑族(Khoisan)(例如纳马族(Nama)和布什曼族(Bushmen)),这些人都是南非原住民的后裔。Khoisan
differ significantly in appearance from both Bantu and whites.
There are also two smaller groups of people with mixed racial
origins, called "Coloureds" and "Basters",
who together make up 8% (with the Coloureds outnumbering the Basters
two to one). Whites of Dutch, German, British, French and Portuguese
ancestry make up about 8% of the population—which is the second
largest proportion in sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa).
Most of Namibian whites and nearly all those of mixed race are
Afrikaans speakers and share similar origins, culture, religion
and geneology as the white and coloured populations of neighbouring
South Africa. A smaller proportion of whites (around 20,000) trace
their family origins directly back to German settlers and maintain
German cultural and educational institutions.
纳米比亚国家元首是总统,由人民直接选举产生,每五年举行一次。政府由总理及其内阁组成,总理由总统任命产生。当年独立运动的主要力量西南非洲人民组织(SWAPO)(South-West
Africa People's Organisation),已经脱离了其最初的马克思主义指导思想,但仍然是纳米比亚最大的政党。