Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia (Afrikaans: Republiek van Namibië, German: Republik Namibia), is a country in Southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana and Zimbabwe to the east, and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March 1990 following the Namibian War of Independence. Its capital and largest city is Windhoek (German: Windhuk).

Namibia is a member state of the United Nations (UN), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), the Commonwealth of Nations and many other international organisations. It has been given many names: the land of contrasts, the land God made in anger, the ageless land. For many years it was known only as South West Africa, but it adopted the name Namibia, after the Namib Desert. It is the second least densely populated country in the world, after Mongolia.

The dry lands of Namibia were inhabited since early times by Bushmen, Damara, Namaqua, and since about the 14th century AD, by immigrating Bantu who came with the Bantu expansion. It was visited by the British and Dutch missionaries during the late 18th century. It was also visited by Dorsland trekkers (A.K.A.-Junker Boers) in 1879, but became a German protectorate in 1884. In 1920, the League of Nations mandated the country to South Africa, which imposed their laws and apartheid policy.

In 1966, uprisings and demands by African leaders led the United Nations to assume direct responsibility over the territory, changing the name to Namibia in 1968 and recognizing South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) as official representative of the Namibian people in 1973. Namibia, however, remained under South African administration during this time. Following internal violence, South Africa installed an interim administration in Namibia in 1985. Namibia obtained full independence from South Africa in 1990 (with the exception of Walvis Bay – a city that remained under South African control until 1994)

Namibia has a population of 2.1 million people and a stable multiparty parliamentary democracy. Agriculture, herding, tourism and mining of precious stones and metals form the backbone of Namibia’s economy. Approximately half the population live below the international poverty line of U.S.$1.25 a day, and the nation has suffered heavily from the effects of HIV/AIDS, with 15% of the adult population infected with HIV in 2007.

The Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus), also known as the Cape Baboon, is, like all other baboons, from the Old World monkey family. With a body length of up to 115 cm and a weight from 15 to 31 kg, it is among the largest and heaviest baboon species. The Chacma is generally dark brown to gray in color, with a patch of rough hair on the nape of its neck. Unlike the northern baboon species (the Guinea, Hamadryas, and Olive Baboons), Chacma males do not have a mane. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of this baboon is its long, downwardly-pointed face.  Males can have canine teeth as long as 2 inches (longer than a lion’s canine teeth). Baboons are sexually dimorphic, males being considerably larger than females.

• Everyone can agree on one thing about primates:
  They’re fascinating to watch
• The feud between the farmers and the baboons is pretty fierce in this country.
  Where can the primates live in peace?
• This handsome devil is a member of the largest and heaviest of the baboon species.
  Can you guess which one?
• So if this is one of the largest baboons…
  Which are the smallest?

• These nomads lead a traditional lifestyle… But some of their customs feel surprisingly modern.
• Would you survive if you were lost for days in the desert? Increase your chances
• The people of this tribe are famous for their good looks. What do you think?
• Generations of nomads have roamed the deserts and grasslands of central Africa. From Niger to the C.A.R. and back again

Adult male lion and cub, Botswana, Africa — Westend61 \ / Photolibrary

• “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.” —Bill Cosby
  Learn more about Father’s Day
• Want to see more lion cubs?
  Yeah, you do
• How do fathers and sons on the savannah express their feelings for one another?
  Through the magic of song
• Fathers live everywhere, but lions only live in a few places.
  See the place these lions call home