Demographics of Namibia - Ethnic Groups

Ethnic Groups

The ethnic composition of the population of Namibia has last been measured in 1989, prior to Namibian independence, when the population total stood at 1.4 million. At that time the relative sizes of the ethnic groups were:

Ethnic group Percentage
Ovambo 49.8
Kavango 9.3
Damara 7.5
Herero 7.5
Whites 6.4
Nama 4.8
Coloureds 4.1
Caprivian 3.7
San 2.9
Rehoboth Basters 2.5
Tswana 0.6
Other 0.9
Total 100

Since then, a large number of Chinese is estimated to have taken up residence, estimated to have been 40,000 in 2006. This would correspond to 2% of the 2 million people at that time.

Read more about this topic:  Demographics Of Namibia

Famous quotes containing the words ethnic and/or groups:

    Caprice, independence and rebellion, which are opposed to the social order, are essential to the good health of an ethnic group. We shall measure the good health of this group by the number of its delinquents. Nothing is more immobilizing than the spirit of deference.
    Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985)

    If we can learn ... to look at the ways in which various groups appropriate and use the mass-produced art of our culture ... we may well begin to understand that although the ideological power of contemporary cultural forms is enormous, indeed sometimes even frightening, that power is not yet all-pervasive, totally vigilant, or complete.
    Janice A. Radway (b. 1949)