Omaheke Region
|
|
 |
Otjinene
Otjozondjou
Steinhausen
Gobabis
Buitepos
Aminuis |
Omaheke is one of the
thirteen regions of Namibia. Omaheke lies on the eastern
border of Namibia. The name Omaheke is the Herero word
for Sandveld. A large part of this region is known as
the Sandveld. Gobabis is the main centre of this area
and also its main business area, as it is linked with
the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, by rail and paved
roads. This infrastructure serves as the main supply
line for the region.
All the other population
centres in the region are linked with Gobabis by road.
Many other services are rendered from Gobabis to the
region, such as the Police Divisional Head Quarters,
which is situated in Gobabis. Clinics in the region
are served by medical practisioners based in Gobabis,
and there are two hospitals and a clinic serving the
region.
The agricultural patterns
of this region is to a large extent homogenous. Most
of the 900 commercial and 3,500 communal farmers in
this area are cattle breeders. A regional office of
the Ministry of Agriculture, serving the whole region,
is based in Gobabis.
Hunting, including
trophy hunting, is one of the major sources of income
for the region. This takes place mainly in the winter
months, from June to August. During these months, tourists
from the northern hemisphere can be seen in the area,
enjoying the mild and dry winter climate and collecting
trophies.
The North Eastern part
of the region is still very much a wilderness and beautiful
wild Kalahari scenes can be seen by people willing to
travel tedious roads and spend nights in the open.
Antropologically, almost
the the entire Mbanderu and Gobabis-Ju/wa ethnic groups
are residing in the region. Furthermore, it is a rich
cultural area for Herero, Damara-Nama, Tswana, Afrikaner
and German, with a sprinkling of northerners.
A notable event is
the annual Meat Festival, which draws visitors from
all over.
In the east, Omaheke
borders three districts of Botswana:
- North-West - northern
- Ghanzi - central
- Kgalagadi - southern
Domestically, it borders the following regions:
- Hardap - south
- Khomas - west
- Otjozondjupa - north
The region comprises six constituencies: Otjinene, Otjozondjou,
Steinhausen, Gobabis, Buitepos, and Aminuis.
Other Regions :
|
