Transport in Namibia#Roads

The beginnings of organised travel and transport routes in the territory of South West Africa, today Namibia, have not yet been established. This is due to the lack of any written records relating to roads prior to the twilight of the 19th century.{{sfn|Dierks|2001|loc=[https://www.klausdierks.com/Namibian_Roads/1.htm chapter 1 - Introduction to the History of Roads in Namibia]}} Archaeological work has dated one stretch of road in the south-western Brandberg Massif to {{circa}} 1250 AD. Although no other such early examples have been found, it is certain that this road was not the only one of its kind.{{sfn|Dierks|2001|loc=[https://www.klausdierks.com/Namibian_Roads/2.htm Chapter 2.1 - The Pre-historic era circa 1250 - circa 1770]}}

The first permanent road, established for ox wagons, was built at the initiative of Heinrich Schmelen, Rhenish missionary in Bethanie in the early 19th century. It led from Bethanie to Angra Pequeña, today the town of Lüderitz, and was intended to serve the natural harbour there in order to become independent of the Cape Colony.{{sfn|Dierks|2001|loc=[https://www.klausdierks.com/Namibian_Roads/2.htm Chapter 2.1 - The Pre-historic era circa 1250 - circa 1770]}}

File:Sandstorm_while_driving_from_Swakopmund_to_Walfish_Bay,_2005.jpg between Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. Windy conditions and the proximity of sand dunes lead to reduced visibility, and sand covering the tarmac]]

File:Road near Luderitz in Namibia.jpg highway near Luderitz]]

File:Road to Sossusvlei 2019.jpg.]]

Namibia's road network is regarded as one of the best on the continent; road construction and maintenance adheres to international standards.{{cite news

|url = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=39848

|title = RA needs over N$1 billion

|last = Heita

|first = Desie

|date = 27 July 2011

|newspaper = New Era

|access-date = 27 July 2011

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120509214408/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=39848

|archive-date = 9 May 2012

|url-status = dead

|df = dmy-all

}} The country's 48,875.27 km roads (2017) are administered by the Roads Authority, a state-owned enterprise established by Act 17 of 1999. Due to low traffic volumes the majority of roads are not tarred. The distribution of road surfaces is:{{cite news

|title=Get to know Namibia's National Road Network

|date=March 2012

|work=supplement to several Namibian newspapers

|publisher=Namibia Roads Authority}}

• {{convert|6,664|km}} standard bitumen road
• {{convert|412|km}} low-volume bitumen road. These roads have the same base layer as gravel roads but are covered with a thin layer of bitumen to reduce maintenance cost and dust formation.
• {{convert|25,710|km}} standard gravel road, covered with imported gravel.
• {{convert|11,460|km}} earth-graded road. These roads are built by clearing the vegetation and blading the surface. Compaction is achieved by the traffic using the road. Some of these roads are not graded at all but just consist of earth or sand tracks separated by vegetation. These tracks are in use where a daily usage of less than five vehicles is expected.
• {{convert|288|km}} salt road. These roads consist of concentrated salt water and gypsum-rich material. They are only built near the Atlantic coast inside the mist belt.

The major highways in Namibia are as follows:

• {{Jct|country=NAM|A|1}} (freeway) from Windhoek to Okahandja, {{convert|74|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|1}} in two discontinuous sections, first running {{convert|802|km|mi|abbr=on}} from Noordoewer (South African border) to the southern terminus of the A1 in Windhoek, then resuming at the northern terminus of the A1 in Okahandja and running {{convert|665|km|mi|abbr=on}} to Oshikango (Angolan border). Combined, the two sections have a length of {{convert|1467|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|2}} from Walvis Bay to Okahandja, {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|3}} from Ariamsvlei (South African border) to Grünau, {{convert|179|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|4}} from Lüderitz to Keetmanshoop, {{convert|334|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|6}} from Windhoek to Buitepos (Botswana border), {{convert|318|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|8}} from Otavi via Katima Mulilo to Ngoma (Botswana border), {{convert|929|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|10}} from the Ohangwena Region to Rundu, {{convert|439|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|11}} from Nkurenkuru to Katwitwi (Angolan border), {{convert|14|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|14}} from Grootfontein to Gobabis, {{convert|389|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
• {{Jct|country=NAM|B|15}} from Tsumeb to Mpungu, {{convert|133|km|mi|abbr=on}}.

In 2018, there were about 393,062 cars registered in Namibia (169,911 in the capital Windhoek).{{cite web| url = http://www.mvafund.com.na/index.php/shortcode/accordion/tab?download=116:road-crash-and-claims-report-2018| title = Crash and Claims Reports 2018. Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, 2018, p. 46.}} Namibia has a relatively high prevalence of road accidents, compared to its sparse population. In 2011, 491 people died in 2,846 crashes.{{cite news

|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=91709&no_cache=1

|title=Road accidents claim 60 lives

|last=Smith

|first=Jana-Mari

|date=3 January 2012

|work=The Namibian}} Causes are often speeding and reckless driving, as well as general non-observance of traffic rules.{{cite news

|url = http://www.economist.com.na/general-news/22-general-news-2011/319-road-accidents-claim-more-lives

|title = Road accidents claim more lives

|last = Khobetsi

|first = Lorato

|year = 2011

|work = Namibia Economist

|access-date = 27 November 2012

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151017170615/http://www.economist.com.na/general-news/22-general-news-2011/319-road-accidents-claim-more-lives

|archive-date = 17 October 2015

|url-status = dead

|df = dmy-all

}} Stray animals are also a major cause of accidents, particularly in the Kavango Region.{{cite news

|url = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=41884&title=Gang%20attacks%20herders

|title = Stray animals major cause of accidents

|last = Matali

|first = Mutonga

|work = New Era

|access-date = 27 November 2012

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120527150857/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=41884&title=Gang%20attacks%20herders

|archive-date = 2012-05-27

|url-status = dead

}}

Rail transport in Namibia is operated on a 2,687-kilometre network by TransNamib.

File:Namibia rail network map.svg

File:TransNamib near Kolmanskop.jpg train near Kolmanskop.]]

{{main|Rail transport in Namibia}}

• Angola - There is currently no rail connection to Angola, although an agreement has been signed for a link. Angola uses the same gauge,{{RailGauge|1067mm}}, as Namibia.{{cite web| url = http://www.afrol.com/articles/14973| title = Gauge}} (Rail transport in Angola)
• Botswana - There is currently no rail link with Botswana, though the two countries use the same gauge. As of February 2011, construction on a Trans-Kalahari rail link between Botswanan coal fields and Walvis Bay was expected to begin in a year and a half.[http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=133585 BusinessLive], retrieved February 17, 2011 (Rail transport in Botswana)
• South Africa - There is a rail connection to South Africa; the two countries use the same {{RailGauge|1067mm}} gauge. (Rail transport in South Africa)
• Zambia - There is currently no rail-link with Zambia, though the two countries use the same gauge. As of February 2011, there has been some talk of extending rail to the Zambian border.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110208180603/http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2011/february/article/transkalahari-railway-to-steam-ahead-in-2012/ TransKalahari Railway to steam ahead in 2012], retrieved February 17, 2011 (Rail transport in Zambia)

• Walvis Bay - railhead
• Lüderitz - railhead

none (2002, 1999 est.)

Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport is the main international airport in the country. Two others international airports are Walvis Bay Airport and Eros Airport in Windhoek.

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{{reflist}}

• {{Cite book | title=Namibian Roads in History from the 13th Century till Today | last=Dierks | first=Klaus | author-link=Klaus Dierks | publisher=Institut für Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeographie, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt/Main | year=2001 | url=https://www.klausdierks.com/Namibian_Roads/index.html }}

{{Economy of Namibia}}

{{Africa in topic|Transport in}}

{{Highways of Namibia}}