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KUNENE REGION

Kunene is one of Namibia's fourteen regions, with Opuwo serving as its capital and Marius Sheya as the governor. The region is named after the Kunene River, which creates the northern boundary with Angola.​

Geography

In addition to the capital, Opuwo, the region includes the municipality of Outjo, the town of Khorixas, the self-goning village of Kamanjab, and numerous small settlements such as Otjomotjira. Kunene is inhabited by the Himba people, a subgroup of Herero, as well as the Damara and Nama people. As of 2020, there were 58,548 registered voters Kunene. The western boundary of Kunene the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, it shares a border with Angola's Namibe Province, and in the far northeastern part, it borders Cunene Province. Within Namibia, it borders the following regions:

Demographics
As per the 2001 Population and Housing Census of Namibia, Kunene had a population of 68,735, comprising 34,237 females and 34,487 males, resulting in a ratio of 101 males for every 100 females, with an annual growth rate of 1.9%. The fertility rate was recorded at 4.7 children per woman, with 25% residing in urban areas and 75% in rural regions. Spanning an area of 115,293 km², Kunene's population density was 0.6 individuals per km². Age distribution showed that 15% were under 5 years, 26% were between 5-14 years, 48% fell within the 15-59 age range, and 7% were 60 years or older. The population was organized into 12,489 households, with an average of 5.3 individuals per household, where 40% of households were headed by females and 60% by males. Among those aged 15 and older, 52% had never married, while 12% were legally married, 17% were traditionally married, 12% were consensually married, 2% were divorced or separated, and 4% were widowed. The predominant languages at home were Otjiherero (42% of households) and Nama/Damara (36%). The literacy rate for individuals aged 15 and over was 57%. In education, 51% of girls and 49% of boys aged 6-15 were enrolled in school; among those over 15, 45% had left school, 9% were currently in school, 41% had never attended. In 2001, the employment rate for the labor force (56% of those aged 15+) was 77% employed and 23% unemployed. Among individuals aged 15 and older not in the labor force (24%), 19% were students, 56% were homemakers, and 25% were retired, too old, or classified in other categories. According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Survey, the unemployment rate in the Kunene Region was 27.0%, though the two studies are not methodologically comparable.

Mud Hut in Okapare Among households, 73% had access to safe water, 66% lacked toilet facilities, 22% utilized electricity for lighting, 72% had access to a radio, and 81% used wood or charcoal for cooking. Regarding income sources, 35% of households relied on farming, 37% on wages and salaries, 7% on cash remittances, 7% on business or nonarming activities, and 10% on pensions. For every 1,000 live births, there were 49 female infant and 61 male infant deaths. Life expectancy at birth was 57 years females and 50 years for males. Among children under 15, 2% had lost their mother, 5% father, and 1% were orphans of both parents., 5% of the overall population had a disability, with 18% being deaf, 35% blind, 16% having a speech disability, 18% with hand disabilities, 27% with leg disabilities, and 5% with mental disabilities. According to the 2011 Namibia Population and Housing Census, Kunene had a population of 86,856 (43,253 females and 43,603 males, or 101 males for 100 females), growing at an annual rate of 2.3%. The fertility rate was 4.9 children per woman, with 26% residing in urban areas and 74% in rural areas. The region covers 115,293 km², resulting in a population density of 0.8 persons per km². By age distribution, 17% were under 5 years, 25% were between 5–14 years, 51% were between 1559 years, and 7% were 60 years and older. The population was divided into 18,495 households, averaging 4.6 persons per household. 40% of households headed by females, while 60% were headed by males. Among those aged 15 and older, 56% had never married, 13% were married a certificate, 18% were married traditionally, 8% had consensual marriages, 2% were divorced or separated, and 3% were widowed. The most widely spoken languages at home were Otjiherero languages (47% of households) and Nama/Damara (32%). For those aged 15 and older, the literacy rate was 65%. In education, 51% of girls and 49% of boys aged 6-15 were enrolled in school. Among individuals older than 15, 50% had left school, 9% were currently enrolled, and 37% had never attended school. In 2011, the employment rate for those 15 and older in the labor force (67%) was 64% employed and 36% unemployed. Among those aged 15 and older who were not in the labor force (24%), 31% were students, 30% were homemakers, and 31% were retired, too old, or classified under other categories. According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Kunene Region was recorded at 27.0%. The two studies are methodologically not comparable.

Potics

Kunene constituencies (2014)

The region comprises seven constituencies:

Epupa Falls In contrast to other parts of Namibia, Kunene remains relatively undeveloped, largely due to its mountainous terrain and arid climate, which pose significant challenges for agriculture. 2012, the Chinese company Namibia East China Non-Ferrous Investments explored the Kunene region and uncovered a substantial iron ore deposit of 2.37 billion tons, sufficient to last for the next century. Additionally, Gecko Opuwo Cobalt is currently developing a cobalt deposit in the area. Kunene is home to 60 schools, serving a total of 20,332 students.

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