South Africa occupied the
German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered
it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the
territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization
(SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area
that was soon named Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South
Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace
plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since
the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye Pohamba was elected
president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam Nujoma
who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule.
English
is the official language;
Afrikaans
and
German
are also spoken.