Namaqualand

Namaqualand, Afrikaans Namakwaland, geographic region, southwestern Africa, extending from near Windhoek, Namib., southward into Northern Cape province, S.Af., and from the Namib desert eastward to the Kalahari. The area, inhabited by the Nama before the German occupation of the region in the 19th century, is divided by the Orange River into Little Namaqualand in South Africa and Great Namaqualand in Namibia. The region is primarily desert, with annual precipitation averaging between 2 and 8 inches (50 and 200 mm).

The South African portion of Namaqualand lies in Northern Cape province. Its chief town is Springbok. From 1908 most of the western part of Namaqualand in Namibia was marked off as Sperrgebiet (German: “Prohibited Area”), which could not be entered without a pass. The Sperrgebiet was extremely rich in diamonds, the mining of which was strictly controlled; parts of the area are still mined. The Sperrgebiet is also known for its unique flora. In 2004 the Namibian government, hoping to increase tourism, announced plans to open some 60 percent of the area and establish it as a national park. The Sperrgebiet National Park formally opened in 2009.