Joanna James
On the southwestern coast of Africa lies Namibia, one of the driest countries in the world. It attracts a large number of tourists from all around the world annually for its colourful culture, dramatic desert landscapes, and wildlife national parks. Here are seven cool facts you should know.
Namibia is a country that considers 'conservation' a top priority. They were the first to incorporate environmental protection into its constitution. There are now numerous community-based hospitality initiatives providing monetary and social protection for landscapes and communities. Did you know that more than 40% of Namibia is under conservation management? The number of wildlife creatures here is increasing with flourishing populations of rhinos, oryx, lions, cheetahs, and zebras.
Namibia is home to the largest population of free-roaming cheetahs in the world. Needless to say, how notoriously difficult it is to spot the fastest land animal in the world. For the best chance to spot one, you should head over to Namibia. The Cheetah Conservation there houses over 3000 of them. If you are planning to stay at one of the hotels in Namibia the likes of Avani Windhoek Hotel & Casino, you can plan a hassle-free trip to a national park to get up close to these creatures.
Deriving from a long history of 80 million years, lies the Namib desert. It is the most ancient desert in the world. Besides its unforgiving climate, a few species of plants and animals have managed to adapt to life here. Grant's golden moles, short-eared elephant shrews, and mountain zebra are a few of them. The southern part of the desert is drier and only gemsbok can survive in this climate. It will be a mistake if we do not speak of sand. You could witness some of the highest sand dunes in the world.
The romantic, desolate and dramatic Namibian desert makes an ideal backdrop for some of the biggest blockbuster movies in Hollywood. Want to know a few of those famous movies done here? It includes Mad Max: Fury Road, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Samsara, and Flight of the Phoenix.
Take a world map and see where Namibia is. You will notice that it has a little handle. Want to know why? Germany and UK carved up south Africa and they made a deal stating the UK would give Germany the Caprivi Strip in exchange for land elsewhere. It didn't happen. Victoria Falls became the world's largest waterfall was in the way.
The Skeleton Coast in Namibia is considered to be one of the most treacherous coastlines in the world. Possibly Namibia's spookiest sight! Due to various dense fog and violent storms, more than 1000 ships have met their end here. The Eduard Bohlen cargo ship is a famous shipwreck in the area.
Known as 'Dragon's Breath Cave' (due to the humid air at the entrance of the cave) houses the largest non-subglacial lake in the world. It was first identified in 1986. No one hasn't got any idea how deep it gets. Do not expect to get any gems here as this place is only accessible to professionals.
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