Namibia vs. Zambia
Government
| Namibia | Zambia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Namibia conventional short form: Namibia local long form: Republic of Namibia local short form: Namibia former: German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa etymology: named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name "namib" means "vast place" in the Nama/Damara language | conventional long form: Republic of Zambia conventional short form: Zambia former: Northern Rhodesia etymology: name derived from the Zambezi River, which flows through the western part of the country and forms its southern border with neighboring Zimbabwe |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April etymology: may derive from the Afrikaans word "wind-hoek" meaning "windy corner" | name: Lusaka; note - a proposal to build a new capital city in Ngabwe was announced in May 2017 geographic coordinates: 15 25 S, 28 17 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named after a village called Lusaka, located at Manda Hill, near where Zambia's National Assembly building currently stands; the village was named after a headman (chief) Lusakasa |
| Administrative divisions | 14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi; note - the Karas Region was renamed //Karas in September 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language | 10 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western |
| Independence | 21 March 1990 (from South African mandate) | 24 October 1964 (from the UK) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 21 March (1990) | Independence Day, 24 October (1964) |
| Constitution | history: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990 amendments: initiated by the Cabinet; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly membership and of the National Council of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; if the National Council fails to pass an amendment, the president can call for a referendum; passage by referendum requires two-thirds majority of votes cast; amendments that detract from or repeal constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended, and the requisite majorities needed by Parliament to amend the constitution cannot be changed; amended 1998, 2010, 2014 | history: several previous; latest adopted 24 August 1991, promulgated 30 August 1991 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires two-thirds majority vote by the Assembly in two separate readings at least 30 days apart; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms requires approval by at least one half of votes cast in a referendum prior to consideration and voting by the Assembly; amended 1996, 2015, 2016; note - in late 2020, an amendment which would have altered the structure of the constitution was defeated in the National Assembly |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law | mixed legal system of English common law and customary law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); Prime Minister Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA (since 21 March 2015) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly elections/appointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (Independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 2.7%, Apius AUCHAB (UDF) 2.7%, Esther MUINJANGUE (NUDO) 1.5%, other 2% | chief of state: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hakainde HICHILEMA (since 24 August 2021); Vice President Mutale NALUMANGO (since 24 August 2021) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president from among members of the National Assembly elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: 2021: Hakainde HICHILEMA elected president; percent of the vote-Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 57.9%,Edgar LUNGU (PF) 37.3%, other 4.8% 2016: Edgar LUNGU re-elected president; percent of vote- Edgar LUNGU (PF) 50.4%, Hakainde HICHILEMA (UPND) 47.6%, other 2% |
| Legislative branch | description: bicameral Parliament consists of: National Council (42 seats); members indirectly elected 3 each by the 14 regional councils to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly National Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed list, proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president) elections: National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 25 November 2020 (next to be held on 25 November 2025) National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024) election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 28, LPM 6,IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1, Independent 1; composition - men 36, women 6, percent of women 16.6% National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition - NA | description: unicameral National Assembly (167 seats; 156 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, and up to 8 appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms); 11 are appointed elections: last held on 12 August 2021 (next to be held 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - UPND 53.9%, PF 38.1%, PNUP 0.6%, independent 7.4%; seats by party - UPND 82, PF 61, PNUP 1, independent 11; composition - men 135, women 20, percent of women 13.5% note: 155 seats were filled with one seat left vacant; the election for Kaumbwe Constituency has yet to conducted. |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions) judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president of Namibia upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65, but terms can be extended by the president until age 70 subordinate courts: High Court; Electoral Court, Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, deputy chief justice, and at least 11 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 11 judges); note - the Constitutional Court began operation in June 2016 judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the advice of the 9-member Judicial Service Commission, which is headed by the chief justice, and ratified by the National Assembly; judges normally serve until age 65 subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court; Industrial Relations Court; subordinate courts (3 levels, based on upper limit of money involved); Small Claims Court; local courts (2 grades, based on upper limit of money involved) |
| Political parties and leaders | All People's Party or APP [Ignatius SHIXWAMENI] Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME] Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI] National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Estes MUINJANGUE] Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO] Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly DTA) [McHenry VENAANI] Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA] Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE] South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Tangeni IIYAMBO] South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB] United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB] United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK] Workers' Revolutionary Party or WRP (formerly CPN) [MPs Salmon FLEERMUYS and Benson KAAPALA] | Alliance for Democracy and Development or ADD [Charles MILUPI] Forum for Democracy and Development or FDD [Edith NAWAKWI] Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Felix MUTATI] National Democratic Congress or NDC [Chishimba KAMBWILI] Patriotic Front or PF [Edgar LUNGU] United Party for National Development or UPND [Hakainde HICHILEMA] Party of National Unity and Progress or PNUP [Highvie HAMUDUDU] |
| International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret Natalie MENSAH-WILLIAMS (since 18 January 2021) chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443 email address and website: info@namibiaembassyusa.org https://namibiaembassyusa.org/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Lazarous KAPAMBWE (since 8 April 2020) chancery: 2200 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4009 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826 email address and website: info@zambiaembassy.org https://www.zambiaembassy.org/ |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jessica LONG (since 2 July 2021) embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: 2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC 20521-2540 telephone: [264] (061) 295-8500 FAX: [264] (061) 295-8603 email address and website: ConsularWindhoek@state.gov https://na.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David J. YOUNG (since 2 March 2020) embassy: Eastern end of Kabulonga Road, Ibex Hill, Lusaka mailing address: 2310 Lusaka Place, Washington DC 20521-2310 telephone: [260] (0) 211-357-000
FAX: [260] (0) 211-357-224 email address and website: ACSLusaka@state.gov https://zm.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a golden-yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green; red signifies the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue represents the Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the country's precious water resources and rain; the golden-yellow sun denotes power and existence; green symbolizes vegetation and agricultural resources | green field with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of the flag; green stands for the country's natural resources and vegetation, red symbolizes the struggle for freedom, black the people of Zambia, and orange the country's mineral wealth; the eagle represents the people's ability to rise above the nation's problems |
| National anthem | name: Namibia, Land of the Brave lyrics/music: Axali DOESEB note: adopted 1991 | name: "Lumbanyeni Zambia" (Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free) lyrics/music: multiple/Enoch Mankayi SONTONGA note: adopted 1964; the melody, from the popular song "God Bless Africa," is the same as that of Tanzania but with different lyrics; the melody is also incorporated into South Africa's anthem |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | oryx (antelope); national colors: blue, red, green, white, yellow | African fish eagle; national colors: green, red, black, orange |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: only if at least one parent is a citizen of Zambia citizenship by descent only: yes, if at least one parent was a citizen of Zambia dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years for those with an ancestor who was a citizen of Zambia, otherwise 10 years residency is required |
Source: CIA Factbook
