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Namibia is a large arid to semi-arid country in the southwestern Africa that acquired its independence in 1990. Namibia has a stable government, and its excellent infrastructure, combined with a wealth of valuable natural resources, provides excellent long-term development opportunities.

The national economy is heavily dependent on the utilization and/or extraction of its rich natural resource base. Mining, at 12%, is recognized as the largest contributor to the GDP, while a rich ocean fishery (10%) and a rapidly growing tourism sector (9%) are regarded as the second and third largest contributors to the GDP.

As with most of Africa, rural communities are largely dependent upon natural resources and subsistence agriculture for their daily livelihoods. Of the above, tourism is the only sector that continues to grow, with this sector being supported by the presence of an extensive park system (covering 14% of the country) and a growing international awareness of the rich wildlife, diverse scenic wonders and wilderness of Namibia.