Ondangua
Encyclopedia
Ondangwa is a town of 11,000 inhabitants in the Oshana Region of northern Namibia
, bordering Oshikoto Region
. Ondangwa means the end of the Ondonga area (Ondonga
is one of the kingdoms of Ovamboland
). Located about 80 km (50 mi) from the Angola
n border, Ondangwa is situated along the B1
. It is one of the places of residence of the Kings of Ondonga. (currently King Eliphas Kauluma, father to the reigning king lives here). Most of the residents of the town speak Oshindonga.
Ondangwa is the district capital of the Ondangwa electoral constituency
. It receives a mean annual of rainfall of 450 millimetres (17.7 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season rainfall was over 1000 millimetres (39.4 in).
was set up by Finnish Lutherans
.
During Namibian War of Independence
, Ondangwa was a major theatre of fighting between the rebel movement South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and the South African Defence Force
(SADF).
), with hot summers and warm winters (with mild days and cool nights). The average annual precipitation is 447 mm (18 in), with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer.
Many local authorities for the Oshana
and Oshikoto
regions are placed in the town, e.g. the Ministry of Education and police. The hospital is placed in the nearby town Oniipa
.
Ondangwa remains an important transit point for Owambo contract workers going to or coming from the copper- and lead-mining town of Tsumeb, 170 miles (274 km) southeast. Moreover there is a 53 Battalion HQ at Ondangwa, just before the Ondangwa Airforce Base on the main Oshakati road in Sector 10.
There are several schools in the town, among them Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Senior Secondary School. Some schools extend far from the town - for instance Ekulo Senior Secondary School. The most well-known football team is KK Palace and Volcano
.
Since independence, the government has settled up an industry in the north, to create jobs and improve the poor infrastructure. Rössing Foundation, Kayec and Cosdec are the three vocational skills schools training young people in building maintenance, sewing, cooking, and Internet Technology.
planned to follow. The rail line had its first official service on 11 May 2006. The passenger train Omugulugwombashe Star traveled once a week back and forth between Windhoek
and Ondangwa before it broke down due to climatic conditions.
The town shares an airport with Oshakati
. Ondangwa is linked to Oshakati and Oshikango
by a tarred road. Rental car services are also available for tourists. Residents and car owners cars are often extra cautious and careful ,mostly when crossing and driving in the town, because livestock permission in town are not strictly regulated by the government therefore cattle and goats roam around especially at night.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
, bordering Oshikoto Region
Oshikoto Region
Oshikoto is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The northern part of the region is agricultural, whereas the main economic activities in the southern part are cattle rearing and mining...
. Ondangwa means the end of the Ondonga area (Ondonga
Ondonga
Ondonga is a traditional kingdom of the Ovambo in what is today northern Namibia. Its capital is Ondangwa. Its people speak the Ndonga dialect....
is one of the kingdoms of Ovamboland
Ovamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
). Located about 80 km (50 mi) from the Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
n border, Ondangwa is situated along the B1
B1 road (Namibia)
The B1 is one of the most important roads in Namibia, passing through the centre of the country in a north-south direction. It connects Noordoewer on the South African border with Oshikango in the north on the Angolan border...
. It is one of the places of residence of the Kings of Ondonga. (currently King Eliphas Kauluma, father to the reigning king lives here). Most of the residents of the town speak Oshindonga.
Ondangwa is the district capital of the Ondangwa electoral constituency
Ondangwa Constituency
Ondangwa Constituency is an electoral constituency in the Oshana Region of Namibia. It has 29,783 inhabitants, its district capital is the town of Ondangwa....
. It receives a mean annual of rainfall of 450 millimetres (17.7 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season rainfall was over 1000 millimetres (39.4 in).
Before the Apartheid era
In 1870, Onandjokwe, near Ondangwa, was the site of the first Christian (Finnish Lutheran) mission in OvambolandOvamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
was set up by Finnish Lutherans
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the national church of Finland. The church professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion....
.
During Apartheid
In the sixties and seventies, Ovamboland became the scene of severe fighting between SWAPO and the South African army. The Ovambo bore the brunt of Namibia's independence struggle and thousands of lives were lost.During Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
, Ondangwa was a major theatre of fighting between the rebel movement South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
(SADF).
Climate
Ondangwa has a semi-arid climate (BSh, according to the Köppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
), with hot summers and warm winters (with mild days and cool nights). The average annual precipitation is 447 mm (18 in), with most rainfall occurring mainly during summer.
Economy and Development
Ondangwa features a shopping centre, a large open market, and several tourism facilities.Many local authorities for the Oshana
Oshana
Oshana is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The name Oshana lends itself well to this region as it describes the most prominent landscape feature in the area, namely the shallow, seasonally inundated depressions which underpin the local agro ecological system...
and Oshikoto
Oshikoto
Oshikoto may refer to*Oshikoto Region, Namibia*Oshikoto Constituency, Namibia...
regions are placed in the town, e.g. the Ministry of Education and police. The hospital is placed in the nearby town Oniipa
Oniipa
Oniipa is a settlement in the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia and the district capital of the Oniipa electoral constituency. It lies just outside of Ondangwa. It is the hometown of former Lutheran bishop and liberation leader Leonard Auala....
.
Ondangwa remains an important transit point for Owambo contract workers going to or coming from the copper- and lead-mining town of Tsumeb, 170 miles (274 km) southeast. Moreover there is a 53 Battalion HQ at Ondangwa, just before the Ondangwa Airforce Base on the main Oshakati road in Sector 10.
There are several schools in the town, among them Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Senior Secondary School. Some schools extend far from the town - for instance Ekulo Senior Secondary School. The most well-known football team is KK Palace and Volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
.
Since independence, the government has settled up an industry in the north, to create jobs and improve the poor infrastructure. Rössing Foundation, Kayec and Cosdec are the three vocational skills schools training young people in building maintenance, sewing, cooking, and Internet Technology.
Transport
In 2001, planning started on a railway line to link Tsumeb with Ondangwa, with extensions to AngolaAngola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
planned to follow. The rail line had its first official service on 11 May 2006. The passenger train Omugulugwombashe Star traveled once a week back and forth between Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
and Ondangwa before it broke down due to climatic conditions.
The town shares an airport with Oshakati
Oshakati
Oshakati is a town of 30,000 inhabitants in the Oshana Region of Namibia. It is the regional capital and was officially founded in July 1966. The city was used as a base of operations by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Namibian War of Independence...
. Ondangwa is linked to Oshakati and Oshikango
Oshikango
Oshikango is a village in northern Namibia and a border post to Angola. Since 2004 it is part of the town of Helao Nafidi but still maintains its own village council. It is the district capital of the Oshikango Constituency...
by a tarred road. Rental car services are also available for tourists. Residents and car owners cars are often extra cautious and careful ,mostly when crossing and driving in the town, because livestock permission in town are not strictly regulated by the government therefore cattle and goats roam around especially at night.
External links
- Maplandia Map
- Ondangwa
- "Ondangwa" Encyclopædia BritannicaEncyclopædia BritannicaThe Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...