Culture of Namibia
Culture in Namibia is a blend of many different people and its culture and customs have absorbed both African and European elements and fused them into a blend of the two. Although the country is urbanising rapidly, a majority of Namibians still live in rural areas and lead largely impoverished lives. It is among these people, however, that cultural tradition survive most strongly. One of the sparsest populated countries in the world, Namibia's different cultures span an impressively diverse population, from the Bantu-speaking Ovambo and Herero tribes (the latter of which are admired for their colorful Victorian dress) to the Damara minorities and nomadic San. German colonisation left its own imprint on Namibia, with German being a widely spoken language today and German architecture and cuisine featuring prominently. Namibia's diverse and, at times, harsh climate has contributed to its colourful history. Population Namibia has the second-lowest population density of any sovereign country, after Mongolia. In 2017 there were on average 3.08 people per km2. The current population of Namibia is 2,599,944 based on projections of the latest United Nations data. Ethnic groups Namibia has many ethnic groups. The 9 main ethnic groups are: Coloured / Baster Herero Kavango people Khoisan Nama / Damara Ovambo people Tswana people White Namibians Zambezi people These groups can be further broken down into smaller tribes with each having a slightly different dialect from the other. Language During the apartheid regime in Namibia, the three languages of English, German, and Afrikaans were designated as the official languages of Namibia. After Namibia gained independence from South Africa in 1990, the new government adopted English as the official language, enshrined in the constitution of the country. English is now used in government, and it is the medium of instruction in schools and universities. However, the schools of Namibia are facing a shortage of teachers proficient in the English language, and a report reveals that 98% of the country's teachers lack sufficient training in the language. The most widely spoken languages used in households are Oshiwambo dialects, by 49% of the population, Khoekhoegowab by 11%, Afrikaans by 10%, RuKwangali by 9%, and Otjiherero by 9%. Other native languages include the Bantu languages Setswana, Gciriku, Fwe, Chikuhane, Mbukushu, Yeyi; and the Khoisan Naro, ǃXóõ, Kung-Ekoka, ǂKxʼauǁʼein and Kxoe. English, the official language, is spoken by 3% of people as their native language. Portuguese was spoken by 4–5% of the total population, i.e. 100,000 people, made up mostly of the Angolan community in 2014. The number of Angolans in Namibia declined from 2014 to 2015. The economic crisis in the neighboring country affected the numbers. Among the white population, 60% speak Afrikaans, 32% German, 7% English, and 1% Portuguese. Religion Namibian religion is dominated by various branches of Christianity, with more than 90% of Namibian citizens identifying themselves as Christian. According to the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, in 2007 up to 75% were Protestant, including as much as 50% Lutheran. According to the Namibia Demographic