Located on the southwest corner of the African continent, Namibia holds a true natural wonder: The Namib Desert. Peace Boat participants set out for a day to learn about the natural history of one of the world’s most arrid countries.
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Extending for nearly 1500 kilometers along the Atlantic coast, the Namib Desert is characterized by its extensive sea of sand dunes.
Animal life struggles to survive in such conditions, yet beetles, reptiles and small mammals are commonplace.
The coast of Namibia finds itself constrained from rainfall due to the effects from the cold offshore Benguela current. Annual rainfall stands at an average of 50 millimeters.
Namibia’s only rivers serve as international borders, while the country itself has no natural bodies of water within it.
Sparsely inhabited by African indigenous groups, the Herero peoples dominated the region when it was colonized by Germany in the 19th century. South Africa occupied the region during most of the 20th century, until Namibia finally gained its independence in 1990.
