Windhoek (/ˈwɪndhʊk/, Afrikaans:[ˈvəntɦuk]ⓘ, German:[ˈvɪnthʊk]ⓘ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around 1,700 m (5,600 ft) above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek, which was 486,169 in 2023,[2] is constantly growing due to a continued migration from other regions in Namibia.
Windhoek is the social, economic, political, and cultural centre of the country. Nearly every Namibian national enterprise, governmental body, educational and cultural institution is headquartered there.
The city developed at the site of a permanent hot spring known to the local pastoral tribes. It developed rapidly after Jonker Afrikaner, Captain of the Orlam, settled there in 1840 and built a stone church for his community. In the decades following, multiple wars and armed hostilities resulted in the neglect and destruction of the new settlement. Windhoek was founded a second time in 1890 by Imperial German Army Major Curt von François, when the territory was colonised by the German Empire.
Theories vary on how the city got its modern name of Windhoek. Most believe it is derived from the Afrikaans words wind (meaning wind) and hoek (meaning corner). Another theory suggests that Captain Jonker Afrikaner named Windhoek after the Winterhoek Mountains at Tulbagh in South Africa, where his ancestors had lived. The first known mention of the name Windhoek was in a letter from Jonker Afrikaner to Joseph Tindall, dated 12 August 1844.[3]
In 1840 Jonker Afrikaner established an Orlam settlement at Windhoek.[4] He and his followers stayed near one of the main hot springs, located in the present-day Klein Windhoek suburb.[5] He built a stone church that held 500 people; it was also used as a school. Two Rhenishmissionaries, Carl Hugo Hahn and Franz Heinrich Kleinschmidt, started working there in late 1842. Two years later they were driven out by two Methodist Wesleyans, Richard Haddy and Joseph Tindall.[6][7] Gardens were laid out and for a while Windhoek prospered. A series of wars between the Nama and Herero tribes eventually destroyed the settlement. After a long absence, Hahn visited Windhoek again in 1873 and was dismayed to see that nothing remained of the town's former prosperity. In June 1885, a Swiss botanist found only jackals and starving guinea fowl amongst neglected fruit trees.[8]
Windhoek before 1908German South West Africa stamp postmarked WindhukSanderburg, one of the three castles of Windhoek
A request by merchants from Lüderitzbucht resulted in the declaration in 1884 of a German protectorate over what was called German South West Africa (Deutsch-Südwestafrika), now Namibia. The borders of the German colony were determined in 1890 and Germany sent a protective corps, the Schutztruppe under Major Curt von François, to maintain order.[9] Von François stationed his garrison at Windhoek, which was strategically situated as a buffer between the warring Nama and Herero peoples.[10] The twelve strong springs provided water for the cultivation of produce and grains.
Colonial Windhoek was founded on 18 October 1890, when von François fixed the foundation stone of the fort, which is now known as the Alte Feste (Old Fortress).[11][12] After 1907, development accelerated as indigenous people migrated from the countryside to the growing town to seek work. More European settlers arrived from Germany and South Africa. Businesses were erected on Kaiser Street (presently Independence Avenue), and along the dominant mountain ridge over the city. At this time, Windhoek's three castles, Heinitzburg, Sanderburg, and Schwerinsburg, were built.
South African administration after World War I[edit]
The German colonial era came to an end after the end of World War I but South West Africa, and with it Windhoek, had already fallen in 1915.[13] Until the end of the war, the city was administered by a South African military government, and no further development occurred.[14] In 1920, after the Treaty of Versailles, the territory was placed under a League of NationsClass C mandate and again administered by South Africa.[15]
After World War II, more capital became available to improve the area's economy. After 1955, large public projects were undertaken, such as the building of new schools and hospitals, tarring of the city's roads (a project begun in 1928 with Kaiser Street), and the building of dams and pipelines to stabilise the water supply.[8] The city introduced the world's first potable re-use plant in 1958, treating recycled sewage and sending it directly into the town's water supply.[16] On 1 October 1966, the then Administrator of South West Africa granted Windhoek the coat of arms, which was registered on 2 October 1970 with the South African Bureau of Heraldry. Initially a stylized aloe was the principal emblem, but this was amended to a natural aloe (Aloe littoralis) on 15 September 1972. The Coat of Arms is described as "A Windhoek aloe with a raceme of three flowers on an island. Crest: A mural crown Or. Motto: SUUM CUIQUE (To each their own)".[17]
Windhoek formally received its town privileges on 18 October 1965 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the second foundation of the town by von François.[18]
In 1971, the Namibian general contract workers started from Windhoek with the goal of abolishing the contract labour system, opposing apartheid, and promoting Namibia's independence.[19]
Since independence in 1990, Windhoek has remained the national capital, as well as the provincial capital of the central Khomas Region. Since independence and the end of warfare, the city has had accelerated growth and development.
The city is the administrative, commercial, and industrial centre of Namibia. A 1992/93 study estimated that Windhoek provides over half of Namibia's non-agricultural employment, with its national share of employment in utilities being 96%, in transport and communication 94%, finance and business services 82%.[20] Due to its relative size[21] Windhoek is, even more than many other national capital cities, the social, economic, and cultural centre of the country. The University of Namibia is based in the city, as well as nearly every national enterprise, including the country's only theatre, all ministry head offices, and all major media and financial entities.[22] The governmental budget of the city of Windhoek nearly equals those of all other Namibian local authorities combined.[23] Of the 3,300 US$-millionaires in Namibia, 1,400 live in Windhoek.[24]
Windhoek's three main access roads from Rehoboth, Gobabis, and Okahandja are paved, and are designed to be able to withstand the largest possible flood to be expected in fifty years. Sealed roads can carry traffic moving at 120 km/h (75 mph) and should last for 20 years.
In 1928, Kaiserstraße, now Independence Avenue, was the first paved road in Windhoek. Ten years later the next one, Gobabis road, now Sam Nujoma Drive, was also paved. Today, out of approximately 40,000 km (25,000 mi) of Namibia's total road network, about 5,000 km (3,100 mi) is sealed.
In 2014, The Roads Authority planned to upgrade the Windhoek-Okahandja road to a dual carriageway. It would cost about N$1 billion and was expected to be completed in 2021. Later on, they also planned to upgrade the Windhoek and Hosea Kutako International Airport to a dual carriageway. This was expected to be completed in 2022.
As everywhere in Namibia, public transport is scarce and transportation across town is largely done by taxi; there were 6,492 registered taxis in 2013.[25]
Windhoek is served by two airports, with the closest one being Eros Airport, located 7 km (4.3 mi) south of the city centre for smaller craft, and the other being Hosea Kutako International Airport, 42 km (26 mi) east of the city. A number of foreign airlines operate to and from Windhoek. Air charters and helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft rentals are also available.
Hosea Kutako International Airport handles over 800,000 passengers a year. It has one runway without capacity limitations. The other international airport is located in Walvis Bay, with domestic airports at Lüderitz, Oranjemund, and Ondangwa.
Eros Airport is the busiest airport in Namibia in terms of takeoffs and landings.[26] This city airport handles approximately 150 to 200 movements per day, amounting to roughly 50,000 per year. In 2004, the airport served 141,605 passengers, the majority of which are light aircraft. Primarily, limitations such as runway length, noise, and air space congestion have kept Eros from developing into a larger airport. Most of Namibia's charter operators have Eros as their base.
Expanding the town area has – apart from financial restrictions – proven to be challenging due to its geographical location. In southern, eastern and western directions, Windhoek is surrounded by rocky, mountainous areas, which make land development costly. The southern side is not suitable for industrial development because of the presence of underground aquifers. This leaves the vast Brakwater area north of town the only feasible place for Windhoek's expansion.[27]
Windhoek's city council has plans to dramatically expand the city's boundaries such that the town area will cover 5,133.4 km2 (1,982.0 sq mi). Windhoek would become the third-largest city in the world by area,[citation needed] after Tianjin and Istanbul, although its population density is only 63 inhabitants per square kilometre.[28]
In many of Windhoek's townships residents live in shacks. In 2020 the city had a total of 41,900 of these informal housing structures, accommodating close to 100,000 inhabitants.[31]
Windhoek has over 300 sunny days per year.[32] It experiences a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) according to Köppen climate classification as the annual average temperature is above 18 °C (64 °F). The temperature throughout the year would be called mild, due to altitude influence. The annual average high and low temperature range is 13.4 °C (24.1 °F). The coldest month is July, with an average temperature of 13.1 °C (55.6 °F), while the hottest month is December, with average temperature 23.5 °C (74.3 °F). Due to its location near the Kalahari Desert, the city receives 3,605 hours of sunshine. Precipitation is abundant during the summer season, and minimal during the winter season. The average annual precipitation is 367.4 mm (14.46 in), with lows of 106.7 mm (4.20 in) in the 2018/19 rainy season, and 97 mm (3.8 in) in 1929/30.[33]
In 1971, there were roughly 26,000 whites living in Windhoek, outnumbering the black population of 24,000. About one third of white residents at the time, at least 9,000 individuals, were German speakers.[36] Windhoek's population currently[update] stands at over 325,858 (65% black; 18% other; 17% white), and is growing 4% annually in part due to informal settlements that have even higher growth rates of nearly 10% a year.[27] In public life, Afrikaans, and to a lesser extent German, are still used as lingua francas even though the government only uses English. Currently Windhoek has a population of 431,000 as of 2020.[37]
Windhoek is the only self-governed settlement in Khomas Region. It is governed by a multi-party municipal council that has fifteen seats.[39] The council meets monthly; its decisions are taken collectively.
Alte Feste – (Old Fortress) Built in 1890, today houses the National Museum.
Curt von François monument in front of the municipality building. Inaugurated on 18 October 1965 on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the second foundation of the town by von François. The statue was removed from its location, in front of the municipal grounds, on the 23 November 2022 and will be stored in the local Windhoek City Museum.[18]
Heroes' Acre – A national war and heroes memorial, about 10 km outside of the city.
Reiterdenkmal (Equestrian Monument), a statue celebrating the victory of the German Empire over the Herero and Nama in the Herero and Namaqua War of 1904–1907[48] The statue was removed from its historical place next to Christuskirche in December 2013 and is now on display in the yard of the Alte Feste.[49]
Supreme Court of Namibia – situated in Michael Scott Street on Eliakim Namundjebo Plaza. Built between 1994 and 1996[50] it is Windhoek's only building erected after independence in an African style of architecture.[51]
Tintenpalast – (Ink Palace) within Parliament Gardens, the seat of both chambers of the Parliament of Namibia. Built between 1912 and 1913 and situated just north of Robert Mugabe Avenue.
Turnhalle – neo-classicist building of Wilhelmine architecture, inaugurated in 1909.[53]
Zoo Park – a public park on Independence Avenue in downtown Windhoek. The current park is landscaped and features a pond, playground and open-air theatre.[54]
Men's baseball was introduced to Namibia in 1950 at the Ramblers sports club in town.
The 'Tony Rust Raceway' is located west of Windhoek on the Daan Viljoen road and reopened in 2007.[58]Farm Windhoek, located adjacent to the townlands and owned by the municipality, is a sports venue for hiking, running, and mountain biking.
^Tonchi, Victor L; Lindeke, William A; Grotpeter, John J (2012). Historical Dictionary of Namibia. Historical Dictionaries of Africa, African historical dictionaries (2 ed.). Scarecrow Press. ISBN9780810879904. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
^Vedder, Heinrich (1997). Das alte Südwestafrika. Südwestafrikas Geschichte bis zum Tode Mahareros 1890 [The Old South West Africa. South West Africa's History until Maharero's death 1890] (in German) (7th ed.). Windhoek: Namibia Scientific Society. ISBN0-949995-33-9.
^Berry, Bruce (12 February 2014). "Windhoek (Namibia)". www.crwflags.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
^ ab"Windhoek erhielt heute Stadtrechte" [Windhoek received town privileges today]. Allgemeine Zeitung (in German) (2015 reprint ed.). 18 October 1965.
^"Stationsnummer 68110"(PDF). Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^"Mayoral Annual Report 2016"(PDF). windhoekcc.org.na. Windhoek. 2016. p. 34. Archived(PDF) from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
^"Twinning agreements". joburg.org.za. City of Johannesburg. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
^J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ‘‘Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices‘‘, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 2012-2013
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