LOW POPULATION DENSITY: Namibia

Question 1

What is the populationn density of Namibia?

Answer 1

• 2.5 /km2

Question 2

Why does Namibia have a low population density geographically?

Answer 2

• Arid climate - <360mm of rain per year. Large temperature range of 11 degrees C makes harvest hard to plan for, as well as inconsistency of rainfall - 0mm in June. Because of this, harvests are poor. Because harvests are poor, only small pockets of communities can be supported.
• Soil is infertile and is succeptible to wind erosion because it is infertile because it can not support vegetation which holds it together.
• Mostly desert, e.g. Namib desert. Discourages settlement.

Question 3

Why does Namibia have a low population dneisty (human factors)?

Answer 3

• 50% have AIDS - large communities cannot develop.
• Main exports are copper, livestock, gold and diamonds. (3% of the population mines diamonds.) These exporst are unreliable and variable, leading to a poor economy. Large communities can not be supported with resources and services.
• Low life expetancy of 62 or 63. Death decreases population and makes communities more sparse.
• Most of the area near the sea is ‘Diamond Area 1’ and therefore cannot be used for tourism or for fishing. This leads to a poor economy which cannot support large communities.