Namibia

UK: /nɑːˈmɪbɪə/ US: (nə mib′ē ə)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

Na•mib•i•a  (nə mib′ē ə), n. 

1. Place Names a republic in SW Africa: a former German protectorate;
   a mandate of South Africa 1920–66;
   gained independence 1990. 1,727,183;
   318,261 sq. mi. (824,296 sq. km). Cap.: Windhoek. Formerly, German Southwest Africa (1884–1919), South-West Africa (1920–68).

Na•mib′i•an, adj., n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Namibia / nɑːˈmɪbɪə nə-/ noun

1. a country in southern Africa bordering on South Africa: annexed by Germany in 1884 and mandated by the League of Nations to South Africa in 1920. The mandate was terminated by the UN in 1966 but this was ignored by South Africa, as was the 1971 ruling by the International Court of Justice that the territory be surrendered. Independence was achieved in 1990 and Namibia became a member of the Commonwealth; Walvis Bay remained a South African enclave until 1994, when it was returned to Namibia. Official language: English; Afrikaans and German also spoken. Religion: Christian majority. Currency: dollar. Capital: Windhoek. Pop: 2 533 794 (2017 est). Area: 823 328 sq km (317 887 sq miles)
   Also called: South-West Africa
   Former name (1885–1919): German South-West Africa