List of Ethnic Groups in Namibia

What are Ethnic Groups?

An ethnic group or ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups such as a common set of traditions, ancestry, language, history, society, culture, nation, religion or social treatment within their residing area.

These Are Some Of The Ethnic Groups in Namibia

San people

Nama people

Damara people

Ovambo people

Himba people

Kavango people

White Namibians

Tjimba people

Mbanderu people

Frequently Ask Questions

How many ethnic groups are there in Namibia?

Namibia’s population can be divided into (at least) 11 ethnic groups, the biggest group of which is the Owambo people.

How many cultures are there in Namibia?

The Namibian population can be split into roughly 11 ethnic groups, with the biggest proportion (around half), made up of the Ovambo people. Other minorities include: Kavangos, Herero, Damara, European, Nama, Caprivian, San, Basrer and Tswana

What is the main religion in Namibia?

Religion in Namibia is dominated by various branches of Christianity, with more than 90 percent of Namibian citizens identifying themselves as Christian.

Who colonized Namibia?

Early in the 20th Century Namibia was a German Colony. After the 1st World War it became a League of Nations administered territory. Following the 2nd World War, South Africa administered Namibia, until independence in 1990.

What is the culture of Namibia?

From the Bantu-speaking Ovambo and Herero tribes (the latter of which are admired for their colourful Victorian dress) to the Damara minorities and nomadic San Bushmen, Namibia boasts cultural and historical flavour in spades.

What religion is in Botswana?

Religion of Botswana. About one-half of the country’s population is Christian, predominantly independent Christian, with some Protestant. Some one-third adhere to traditional beliefs as their primary religious orientation.

What tribes are in Namibia?

The indigenous peoples of Namibia include San, Nama, Ovahimba, Ovazemba, Ovatjimba and Ovatwa. Together they represent around 8% of the total population of the country, being 2,484,780. The San are Bushmen and their number ranges between 27,000 and 34,000 or between 1.3% and 1.6% of the national population.

What percentage of Namibia is white?

Whites make up only about 6 percent of Namibia’s population of 2.4 million, but overwhelmingly dominate business ownership. Geingob said Namibia had not seen significant transformation in the 27 years of independence from apartheid South African rule.

How many Chinese live in Namibia?

According to Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, there are at least 100,000 Chinese in the country, 4.3% of the total population of 2.35 million and a larger percent than that of some of the indigenous groups.

Which region has the highest population in Namibia?

Khomas Region occupies 4.5% of the land area of Namibia but has the highest population of any of its regions (16.2%).

What are the 14 regions in Namibia?

The country is demarcated into 14 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Kavango West, Kavango East, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa.

What is an ethnic group defined by in Namibia?

Ethnic group, a social group or category of the population that, in a larger society, is set apart and bound together by common ties of race, language, nationality, or culture.

How do you determine your ethnicity?

People tend to inherit groups of SNPs together, called a haplotype. When Ancestry analyzes your DNA, they’re dividing it up into smaller chunks and assigning each chunk an “ethnicity” by comparing the haplotype to those of people in the company’s reference panel groups.

What is the difference between nationality and ethnicity in Namibia?

Nationality refers to the country of citizenship. Nationality is sometimes used to mean ethnicity, although the two are technically different. People can share the same nationality but be of different ethnic groups and people who share an ethnic identity can be of different nationalities.