White Namibians ( or ) are people of

European European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...

descent settled in

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

. The majority of White Namibians are

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

-descended

Afrikaners Afrikaners () are a Southern African ethnic group descended from predominantly Dutch people, Dutch Settler colonialism, settlers who first arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in Free Burghers in the Dutch Cape Colony, 1652.Entry: Cape Colony. '' ...

(locally born or of

White South African White South Africans are South Africans of European descent. In linguistic, cultural, and historical terms, they are generally divided into the Afrikaans-speaking descendants of the Dutch East India Company's original colonists, known as Afr ...

descent), with a minority being native-born

German Namibians German Namibians (; ) are a community of people descended from ethnic German colonists who settled in present-day Namibia. In 1883, the German trader Adolf Lüderitz bought what would become the southern coast of Namibia from Josef Frederiks ...

(descended from

Germans Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...

who colonised Namibia in the late-nineteenth century). There are also some

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

immigrants. 53,773 Namibians identified as White in the 2023 census, representing 1.8% of the

population of Namibia This is a demography of the population of Namibia including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Population Census results As r ...

Distribution

The vast majority of White Namibians live in major cities and towns in central or southern Namibia.

Windhoek Windhoek (; ; ) is the capital and largest city of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre. The population of Windhoek, which ...

has by far the largest White population, and Whites are a majority in the coastal city of

Swakopmund Swakopmund ("Mouth of the Swakop River, Swakop") is a city on the coast of western Namibia, west of the Namibian capital Windhoek via the B2 road (Namibia), B2 main road. It is the capital of the Erongo Region, Erongo administrative district. It ...

. Other coastal cities, such as

Walvis Bay Walvis Bay (; ; ) is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies. It is the List of cities in Namibia, second largest city in Namibia and the largest coastal city in the country. The city covers an area of of land. The bay is a ...

and

Lüderitz Lüderitz is a town in the ǁKaras Region of southern Namibia. It lies on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island. Lüderitz had a population of 16,125 people in 2023. Th ...

, also have large White communities. In general, most of Namibia south of Windhoek has a high proportion of Whites, while central Namibia has a high concentration of Blacks. Apart from Windhoek, coastal areas and Southern Namibia, there are large White communities in

Otjiwarongo Otjiwarongo (Herero language, Herero for "beautiful place") is a city of 49,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otjiwarongo Constituency, Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital ...

and towns in the Otavi Triangle, such as

Tsumeb Tsumeb (; ) is a city of around 35,000 inhabitants and the largest town in the Oshikoto Region, Oshikoto region in northern Namibia. Tsumeb, since its founding in 1905, has been primarily a mining town. The town is the site of a deep mine (the ...

and

Grootfontein Grootfontein (, named after the nearby hot springs) is a city with 26,839 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 road (Namibia), B8 national road that lead ...

. The 1981 census of the Republic of South Africa reported a White population of 76,430 in Namibia (71% Afrikaners and 17% German-speaking). The white birth rate in Namibia is lower than the black and mixed population.

History

The first European to land in Namibia was Portuguese explorer

Diogo Cão Diogo Cão (; – 1486), also known as Diogo Cam, was a Portuguese mariner and one of the most notable explorers of the fifteenth century. He made two voyages along the west coast of Africa in the 1480s, exploring the Congo River and the coasts ...

. Portuguese mariner and explorer

Bartolomeu Dias Bartolomeu Dias ( – 29 May 1500) was a Portuguese mariner and explorer. In 1488, he became the first European navigator to round the Cape Agulhas, southern tip of Africa and to demonstrate that the most effective southward route for ships lies ...

reached Namibia in 1487. Europeans had no interest in Namibia until the 19th century because there was a desert along the country’s coast. German colonists killed tens of thousands of indigenous African tribes in Namibia between 1904 and 1908 during the

Herero and Nama genocide The Herero and Nama genocide or Namibian genocide, formerly known also as the Herero and Namaqua genocide, was a campaign of ethnic extermination and collective punishment waged against the Herero people, Herero (Ovaherero) and the Nama people, N ...

due to

white supremacy White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine ...

and belief in racial superiority.

Economics

According to the FAO, around 42% of arable land was owned by Whites at the time of independence in 1990. While the area was known as

South West Africa South West Africa was a territory under Union of South Africa, South African administration from 1915 to 1990. Renamed ''Namibia'' by the United Nations in 1968, Independence of Namibia, it became independent under this name on 21 March 1990. ...

, White Namibians enjoyed a highly privileged position due to apartheid laws enforcing strict segregation.

Politicians

Leon Jooste Leon Jooste (born 18 February 1969 in Grootfontein, Otjozondjupa Region) is a Namibian politician and businessperson who served as Minister of Public Enterprises until 1 December 2022. Education and early life Jooste attended school at Paul Roo ...

, Minister of Public Enterprises *

Anton Lubowski Anton Theodor Eberhard August Lubowski (3 February 1952 – 12 September 1989) was a Namibian anti-apartheid activist and advocate. He was a member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO). In 1989 he was assassinated by operat ...

, political activist *

Dirk Mudge Dirk Frederik Mudge (16 January 192826 August 2020) was a Namibian politician. He served in several high-ranking positions in the South African administration of South West Africa, was the chairman of the 1975–1977 Turnhalle Constitutional Con ...

, Chairman of the Turnhalle Constitutional Conference *

Henk Mudge Henry Ferdinand "Henk" Mudge (born 18 February 1952) is a Namibian politician and President of the Republican Party.

, Member of Parliament *

Kosie Pretorius Jacobus Willem Francois Pretorius, commonly known as Kosie Pretorius (5 September 1935 Hanno Rumpf Hanno Burkhard Rumpf (15 September 1958 – 8 February 2019) was a Namibian politician (SWAPO) and diplomat. Early life Rumpf, the son of well-known farmer and right-wing National Party member Ernst Rumpf, grew up on the Combumbi parental farm in ...

, government minister and ambassador * Hans-Erik Staby, Member of Parliament *

Jan de Wet Johannes Marthinus (Jan, Jannie) de Wet (10 November 1927 – 13 February 2011) was a Namibian politician and farmer. Politics De Wet entered politics as a member of the Parliament of South Africa, South African Parliament from 1964 to 1970. He th ...

, Member of Parliament *

Piet van der Walt Piet Jacobus van der Walt (born 14 January 1966 in Okahandja) is a Namibian businessperson and politician who has been the Deputy Minister of National Planning since 2018. Early life and education Van der Walt grew up in Okahandja and went to pr ...

, Deputy Minister of National Planning *

Calle Schlettwein Carl-Hermann Gustav "Calle" Schlettwein (born 13 June 1954) is a Namibian politician who has served in the country's cabinet from 2012 to 21 March 2025. In March 2020 to 21 March 2025 he was appointed the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land ...

, Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform * Nico Smit, Member of Parliament

Businessmen

Harold Pupkewitz Harold Pupkewitz (14 July 1915 – 27 April 2012) was a Lithuanian born, Namibian entrepreneur and member of the President's Economic Advisory Council. He was the Executive Chairman of Pupkewitz Holdings, a group of builders' merchants, car sal ...

Sportspeople

* Skipper Badenhorst * Quinton-Steele Botes *

Renaldo Bothma Renaldo Bothma (born 18 September 1989) is a South African-born Namibian former rugby union footballer. He played mostly as a flanker. Formerly, he represented the in Super Rugby and the in the Currie Cup, the , , and . Career In 2013, he wa ...

Jacques Burger Jacques Burger (born 29 July 1983 in Windhoek, South West Africa) is a retired Namibian rugby union loose forward who finished his career at Saracens in the Aviva Premiership. He is currently the Director of Rugby for his former national team. ...

Dan Craven Dan Craven (born 1 February 1983) is a Namibian racing cyclist, who last rode for Namibian amateur team NCCS Cycling Team. He is the grandson of Danie Craven, the South African rugby union icon. Craven started cycling seriously when he studied ...

* Monica Dahl *

Trevor Dodds Trevor George Dodds (born 26 September 1959) is a Namibian professional golfer who formerly played on the PGA Tour. He is known for winning the 1998 edition of Greater Greensboro Chrysler Classic. Early life Dodds was born in Windhoek, South ...

* Jörg Lindemeier *

Percy Montgomery Percival Colin Montgomery (born 15 March 1974) is a Namibian-born South African former professional rugby union player. When he ended his international career in August 2008, he held the all-time records for both cap (sport), caps and points fo ...

Oliver Risser Oliver Hanjorge Risser (born 17 September 1980) is a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He represented Namibia internationally as well as having spells playing in Norway, Finland, England and Belgium. Club career Born i ...

Friedhelm Sack Friedhelm Ferdinand Sack (born 30 May 1956 in Mariental) is a Namibian sport shooter. He competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXVI ...

* Manfred Starke * Ian van Zyl

Journalists

Gwen Lister Gwen Lister (born 5 December 1953 in East London, South Africa) is a Namibian journalist, publisher, anti-apartheid and press freedom activist. Early life Growing up under the apartheid system, Lister resolved to fight it as an adult, and c ...

Hannes Smith Johannes Martin "Hannes" Smith (17 March 1933 – 5 August 2008), affectionately known as Smithie, was a Namibian journalist, editor and publisher. He was first reporter at, then the editor of, the ''Windhoek Advertiser'' until 1978 when he and Gw ...

Farmers

* Raimar von Hase * Rudi and Marlice van Vuuren

Engineers

* Japie van Zyl

Artists

* Tim Huebschle, film director and screenwriter * Adolph Jentsch, painter * Richard Pakleppa, film director and screenwriter * EES (Eric Sell), singer, songwriter and entrepreneur * Max Siedentopf, artist and film director

Fashion models

* Michelle McLean *

Behati Prinsloo Behati Prinsloo ( , ; born 16 May 1988) is a Namibian model. In 2008, she became a Pink contract model, and moved on to become a Victoria's Secret Angel in 2009. She walked in eleven Victoria's Secret Fashion Shows (2007–2015; 2018; 2024), and ...

* Chanique Rabe

Population chart

References

{{authority control * Ethnic groups in Namibia