12 million BC
The hominoid (ape-like creature) Otavipithecus namibiensis occupies Namibia.
25,000 BC
Namibia is inhabited by San hunter-gatherers whose art still adorns rocks at Twyfelfontein.
Twyfelfontein rock art.
Clare Louise Thomas/Apa Publications
500 BC–AD 500
Nama migrants from Botswana bring metal-working skills.
c.900
Khoi-San pastoralists, the Damara, settle in Namibia.
Discovery and Exploration
1486
The Portuguese explorer Diego Cão lands at Cape Cross.
1488
Bartholomeu Diaz lands at Lüderitz.
1500s
Herero migrants from East Africa settle the Kaokoveld.
1820s
Khoi-San groups such as the Oorlam Nama migrate from the Cape into Namibia.
1862–70
The Nama-Herero wars.
The Colonial Era
1878
Britain annexes Walvis Bay to Cape Colony.
1884
Germany claims German South West Africa (Namibia) as a colony. Walvis Bay remains British.
1889-1890s
German troops clear indigenous Namibians from their land for settlers to farm.
Lindequist.
Public domain
1904–6
An estimated 80,000 Herero and Nama are killed or die in concentration camps following uprisings against German rule.
1915
During World War I, Namibia is placed under South African military rule.
1920
Under League of Nations mandate, Namibia is to be administered by South Africa.
1922
South Africa sets up “reserves” for black Namibians and distributes more land to settlers. Uprisings are violently crushed.
1939-45
Many black Namibians serve with the South African forces fighting Nazism.
1946
South Africa refuses to hand back its mandate to the UN.
Towards Independence
1960
The South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) is founded by Sam Nujoma.
1961
Legal action begins at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to end South African mandate.
1964
South Africa consolidates apartheid policies in Namibia.
1966
SWAPO undertakes its first military action. The UN ends South Africa’s mandate, but South Africa refuses to withdraw.
1967
South Africa refuses the UN Council for Namibia access.
1976
The UN Security Council Resolution 385 calls for United Nations to organise elections.
1977
South Africa refuses implementation of Resolution 385.
1978
The South African Defence Force (SADF) kills 800 Namibian refugees in a raid on Kassinga in Angola. South Africa rejects election proposals accepted by SWAPO and adopted by the UN as Resolution 435.
1979–80
South Africa sets up an “internal government” in Namibia.
Modern Namibia
1981
US makes the implementation of Resolution 435 conditional upon Cubans leaving Angola.
1983
Namibia’s “internal government” collapses. South Africa resumes direct rule.
1984
South Africa and SWAPO meet. South Africa’s insistence on “Cuban Linkage” undermines any progress.
1985
MPC’s internal government, the “Transitional Government of National Unity”, is installed in Windhoek. The SADF increases military involvement in Angola.
1989
A formal cessation of hostilities is declared on 1 April. In November, elections to the Constituent Assembly are held. SWAPO win 57 percent of the vote.
Namibian youths celebrate their country’s first hours of independence.
Corbis
1990
On 21 March Namibian independence is finally won.
2000
Nujoma allows Angola to attack rebels from Namibian soil, bringing reprisals by Angolan guerrillas.
2002
Ceasefire in Angola encourages economic development in Northern Namibia.
Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba.
Corbis
2005
Hifikepunye Pohamba (SWAPO) wins presidential elections and begins a land-reform programme.
2009
Hifikepunye Pohamba wins elections with more than 75 percent of the vote.
2011
More than 10 billion barrels of oil reserves are discovered offshore.
2013
Namibia’s government ranked 3rd among mainland African countries on the Ibrahim Index, which measures success in delivering essential political goods to citizens.