NAMIBIA AND THE CAPRIVI REGION
"Unity, Liberty, Justice"
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Namibia is a peaceful African nation, twice the size of Texas, with ten times less people. It is a country of endless horizons and stunning landscapes, from the rugged Skeleton Coast in the West, to the harsh Namib Desert at its center, to the broad floodplains of the Zambezi River in the East. The people of Namibia are no less stunning, from the Himba and their ochre skin, to the Herero and their colorful cattle, to the many tribes and traditions of the Caprivi. And, of course, there are Namibia’s most famous inhabitants, the Elephants. During the dry season, Namibia is home to over 30,000 elephants as well as numerous other species, including lion, hippo, rhino, leopard, giraffe, cheetah, buffalo and numerous other species.
Caprivi, one of Namibia’s thirteen regions, was named after Chancellor Leo von Caprivi, who claimed the land in an 1890 exchange with the United Kingdom. The strip of land gave Germany access to the Zambezi River and a route to Africa's East Coast. The Caprivi Region is almost entirely surrounded by foreign countries, including Angola, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. It is only attached to Namibia by a short connection in the west. About 80,000 people live in Caprivi, around four percent of Namibia's population. Katima Mulilo is the largest city, with other notable towns including Choi, Chinchimani, Bukalo, Sibinda and Impalila.
The Caprivi is a tropical area with high temperatures and rainfall during the December-to-March rainy season, making it the wettest region of Namibia. The terrain is mostly made up of swamps, floodplains, wetland, and woodland. In addition to the Zambezi River, the Kwando River forms the border with Botswana. The river loses its name in the Mamili swamps, becoming the Linyanti River and then the Chobe River. The province's far eastern point, at Impalila Island, is where the Kwando/Linyanti/Chobe River meets the Zambezi. This point is the only place in the world where four countries meet.
The Caprivi is home to 450 animal species, including elephants. The wildlife is protected by several nature reserves, such as Bwabwata, Mudumu, West Caprivi Game Park, Mahango Game Reserve, and Mamili National Park. Animals travel freely across the unmarked border with Botswana, where the Chobe National Park lies. The strip is also a prime bird-watching area, with almost 70 percent of bird species found in Namibia being recorded here.