Namaqualand

 

(nəmä'kwəlănd) or Namaland (nä'məlănd) , region, c.150,000 sq mi (388,500 sq km), SW Africa. It extends from Windhoek, Namibia, in the north to Northern Cape, South Africa, in the south and from the Namib Desert in the west to the Kalahari Desert in the east. The Orange River divides the region into Great Namaqualand (in Namibia) and Little Namaqualand (in Northern Cape). An arid region, Namaqualand is populated chiefly by the pastoral-agricultural Nama (Hottentots), who speak a Khoikhoi language. Near the Atlantic Ocean are extensive alluvial diamond beds; copper is mined in Little Namaqualand. Karakul pelts are a major export of the region.

Namaqualand (Afrikaans: Namakwaland) is an arid region of South Africa, extending along the west coast over 600 miles and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north. Little Namaqualand forms part of Northern Cape Province, South Africa, and Great Namaqualand is in the Kara region of Namibia. Great Namaqualand is sparsely populated by the Namaqua, a Khoikhoi people. A typical municipality is Kamiesberg Local Municipality.

Namaqualand is quite popular with both local and international tourists during early springtime, when for a short period a normally arid area becomes covered with a kaleidoscope of colour during the flowering season.

External links

• Namaqualand Official Website
• http://www.namaquainfo.com
• Namaqualand

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