Like
so many other places, the dry lands of Namibia had been ruled by
various outsider groups and governments, including Germany and South Africa.
This
patriotic holiday commemorates the Namibian War of Independence,
which began on this date in 1966. Namibians didn't succeed in winning
full independence from South Africa until 1990.
The
nation is one of the least densely populated countries in the world. This is
because of the vast Namib Desert, which lies along the Atlantic
coast. (It is surprising to me to have a desert alongside the ocean!) This is oldest desert
in the world. Part of the desert is covered in “sand seas,” or sand dunes; these dunes are the
second largest in the world—up to 980 feet high!
The
coastal part of the Namib Desert has more than 180 days of thick fog
each year. The fog has led to many shipwrecks—more than 1,000
wrecks are strewn along the “Skeleton Coast”—but does provide
moisture for the desert plants and creatures. There is a richer
diversity of life forms in this desert than in any other desert on
Earth, including even wild horses!
Enjoy...
Here
is a gorgeous video of the Namib Desert, including the famous sand
dunes.
Some people ski down the sand dunes, just as they would down snowy
mountains, as you can see in this video.
Also
on this date:
Women's
Equality Day here...
...and
here
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