# Hardap Region

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Region in Namibia

Hardap Region Region Location of the Hardap Region in Namibia Country Namibia Capital Mariental Government • Governor Riaan Charles McNab Area [1] • Total 109,781 km2 (42,387 sq mi) Population (2023 census)[2][3] • Total 106,680 • Density 0.97175/km2 (2.5168/sq mi) Time zone UTC+2 (CAT) HDI (2017) 0.665[4] medium · 5th Website hardaprc.gov.na

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**Hardap** is one of the fourteen [regions of Namibia](/source/Regions_of_Namibia). Its capital is [Mariental](/source/Mariental%2C_Namibia). Hardap contains the municipality of Mariental, the towns of [Rehoboth](/source/Rehoboth%2C_Namibia) and [Aranos](/source/Aranos), and the self-governed villages of [Gibeon](/source/Gibeon%2C_Namibia), [Gochas](/source/Gochas), [Kalkrand](/source/Kalkrand), [Stampriet](/source/Stampriet), and [Maltahöhe](/source/Maltah%C3%B6he). The [Hardap Dam](/source/Hardap_Dam) is located in the region.

## Geography

Hardap stretches the entire width of Namibia, from the [Atlantic Ocean](/source/Atlantic_Ocean) in the west to Namibia's eastern national border. In the northeast, it borders the [Kgalagadi District](/source/Kgalagadi_District) of [Botswana](/source/Botswana), and in the southeast, it borders the [Northern Cape](/source/Northern_Cape) Province of [South Africa](/source/South_Africa). Domestically, it borders the following regions:

- [Erongo](/source/Erongo_Region) – northwest

- [Khomas](/source/Khomas_Region) – north central

- [Omaheke](/source/Omaheke) – northeast

- [ǁKaras](/source/%C7%81Karas_Region) – south

## Politics

Hardap constituencies (2014)

As of 2020, Hardap had 52,534 registered voters.[5] The region comprises eight [electoral constituencies](/source/Constituencies_of_Namibia):

- [Gibeon](/source/Gibeon_Constituency)

- [Mariental Rural](/source/Mariental_Rural)

- [Mariental Urban](/source/Mariental_Urban)

- [Rehoboth Rural](/source/Rehoboth_Rural)

- [Rehoboth Urban East](/source/Rehoboth_Urban_East)

- [Rehoboth Urban West](/source/Rehoboth_Urban_West)

- [Aranos](/source/Aranos_Constituency) (created in 2013)

- [Daweb](/source/Daweb_Constituency) (created in 2013)

As in all other regions, [SWAPO](/source/SWAPO) was by far the strongest political party since [Namibian independence](/source/Independence_of_Namibia). In February 2009, then-governor Hanse-Himarwa was condemned by the [National Society for Human Rights](/source/National_Society_for_Human_Rights) of Namibia for declaring Hardap Region "SWAPO territory" and urging supporters not to allow other political parties to "invade" the region.[6]

### Presidential elections

In the [2004 presidential election](/source/2004_Namibian_general_election), the region supported [Hifikepunye Pohamba](/source/Hifikepunye_Pohamba) of [SWAPO](/source/SWAPO) with a narrow absolute majority of the votes (52%), followed by [Ben Ulenga](/source/Ben_Ulenga) of [the Congress of Democrats](/source/Congress_of_Democrats) (21%) and [Katuutire Kaura](/source/Katuutire_Kaura) of the [Democratic Turnhalle Alliance](/source/Democratic_Turnhalle_Alliance) (16%). Four other candidates combined for the 11%.[7]

### Regional elections

In the [2004 regional election](/source/2004_Namibian_local_and_regional_elections) for the [National Assembly of Namibia](/source/National_Assembly_of_Namibia), SWAPO won all six constituencies.[8]

In the [2015 regional elections](/source/Namibian_local_and_regional_elections%2C_2015), SWAPO obtained 65% of the total votes ([2010](/source/2010_Namibian_local_and_regional_elections): 60%)[5] and won seven of the eight constituencies, with only Rehoboth Urban West narrowly won by the opposition.[9][10] In the [2020 regional election](/source/2020_Namibian_local_and_regional_elections), the [Landless People's Movement](/source/Landless_People's_Movement_(Namibia)) (LPM, an opposition party formed in 2016) was the strongest party. It obtained 45% of the votes overall and won seven of the eight constituencies.[11]

### Governors

- [Katrina Hanse-Himarwa](/source/Katrina_Hanse-Himarwa) (2004–2015)[12]

- [Esme Sophia Isaack](/source/Esme_Sophia_Isaack) (2015–2020)[13]

- [Salomon April](/source/Salomon_April) (2020–2025)[14]

- Riaan Charles McNab (2025-)[15]

## Economy and infrastructure

Hardap has 55 schools with a total of 21,886 pupils. The region has good infrastructure with well-developed road networks.[16]

## Demographics

[Hardap Dam](/source/Hardap_Dam), outside of Mariental, at sunrise in April 2008

According to the Namibia 2023 Population and Housing Census, Hardap had a population of 106,680 (52,357 females and 54,323 males or 104 males for every 100 females), growing at an annual rate of 2.4%. The [fertility rate](/source/Fertility_rate) was 3.7 children per woman. 74.3% lived in urban areas while 25.7% lived in rural areas, and with an area of 109,651 km2, the population density was 1.0 persons per km2. By age, 11.9% of the population was under 5 years old, 21.4% between 5 and 14 years, 58.3% between 15 and 59 years, and 8.4% 60 years and older. The population was divided into 28,197 households, with an average size of 3.6 persons. 43.6% of households had a female head of household, while 56.4% had a male. For those 15 years and older, 68.5% had never married, 21.6% married with a certificate, 0.6% married traditionally, 3.1% married by consensual union, 1.9% were divorced or separated, and 3.9% were widowed.[17]

The most commonly spoken languages at home were [Afrikaans](/source/Afrikaans) (44% of households) and [Nama](/source/Nama_language)/[Damara](/source/Damara_(people)) (44%). For those 15 years and older, the literacy rate was 83%. Nearly half of the population is from coloured and white Namibian groups. In terms of education, 84% of girls and 83% of boys between the ages of 6–15 were attending school, and of those older than 15, 73% had left school, 9% were currently at school, and 13% had never attended.[17]

In 2001, the employment rate for the labor force (64% of those 15+) was 66% employed and 34% unemployed. For those 15+ years old and not in the labor force (29%), 29% were students, 37% homemakers, and 33% retired, too old, etc.[17] According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Hardap Region stood at 28.8%. The two studies are methodologically not comparable.[18]

Among households, 93.2% had [safe water](/source/Safe_water), 32.0% no toilet facility, 62.1% electricity for lighting, and 42.1% had wood or charcoal for cooking. In terms of households' main sources of income, 3.8% derived it from farming, 56.1% from wages and salaries, 3.4% from business or non-farming, and 15.9% from pension.[17]

In 2011, 5.1% of the entire population had a disability, of which 6.3% were deaf, 10.8% hearing impaired, 6.8% blind, 22.2% visually impaired, 5.1% had a speech disability, 11.2% upper limb disability, 26.5% lower limb disability, and 16.0% mental disability.[2]

## External links

- [Hardap Regional Council official website](https://hardaprc.gov.na)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Hardap](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Hardap).

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for ***[Hardap](https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Hardap#Q752676)***.

## References

### Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ElectionWatch_1-0)** "Namibia's Population by Region". *Election Watch* (1). Institute for Public Policy Research: 3. 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Census2011_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Census2011_2-1) ["Hardap 2011 Census Regional Profile"](https://cms.my.na/assets/documents/p19dptss1qomtvt476iefc1p535.pdf) (PDF). *Statistics Namibia*. Retrieved 10 April 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["2023 Population & Housing Census Preliminary Report"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240324152514/https://nsa.nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Preliminary-Report-doc-fn.pdf) (PDF). *Statistics Namibia*. Archived from [the original](https://nsa.nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Preliminary-Report-doc-fn.pdf) (PDF) on 2024-03-24. Retrieved 2024-03-16.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-GlobalDataLab_4-0)** ["Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab"](https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/). *hdi.globaldatalab.org*. Retrieved 13 September 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-election2020_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-election2020_5-1) ["Regional Council 2020 Election Results"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210612210020/https://elections.na/). Interactive map. [Electoral Commission of Namibia](/source/Electoral_Commission_of_Namibia). 18 January 2021. Archived from [the original](http://elections.na/) on 12 June 2021. Retrieved 19 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Hardap Governor Incites Violence"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110722234402/http://www.nshr.org.na/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=1059). Windhoek, Namibia: NamRights (National Society for Human Rights (Namibia)). 22 February 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.nshr.org.na/index.php?module=News&func=display&sid=1059) on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Hardap Region 2004 President results"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110722234224/http://www.electionwatch.org.na/node/40?q=fullpresresults2004&region=Hardap). Election Watch Namibia. Archived from [the original](http://www.electionwatch.org.na/node/40?q=fullpresresults2004&region=Hardap) on 22 July 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Electoral Act, 1992: Notification of Result of General Election for Regional Councils"](http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2005/3366.pdf) (PDF). *Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia*. No. 3366. [Government of Namibia](/source/Government_of_Namibia). 3 January 2005. p. 15.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Regional Council Election Results 2015"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151208163948/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0). [Electoral Commission of Namibia](/source/Electoral_Commission_of_Namibia). 3 December 2015. pp. 2–3. Archived from [the original](http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0) on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 21 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Menges, Werner (29 November 2015). ["Mixed results for opposition in regional polls"](http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?page=archive-read&id=144849). *[The Namibian](/source/The_Namibian)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-GG7654_11-0)** ["Publication of results and particulars in respect of general elections for Regional Councils: Electoral Act, 2014"](http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2021/7654.pdf) (PDF). *Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia*. No. 7654. [Government of Namibia](/source/Government_of_Namibia). 8 October 2021. pp. 5–6.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Hanse-Himarwa, Katrina"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170126193439/http://www.parliament.na/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=979:hanse-himarwa-katrina&catid=89&Itemid=1474). [Government of Namibia](/source/Government_of_Namibia). Archived from [the original](http://www.parliament.na/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=979:hanse-himarwa-katrina&catid=89&Itemid=1474) on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 2 February 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Governor_13-0)** ["President announces governors"](https://www.namibian.com.na/president-announces-governors/). *[The Namibian](/source/The_Namibian)*. 10 April 2015.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Goodbye_14-0)** ["Goodbye"](https://www.namibiansun.com/news/goodbye2020-04-08/). *[Namibian Sun](/source/Namibian_Sun)*. 10 April 2020. p. 1.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [Nandi-Ndaitwah, Netumbo](/source/Netumbo_Nandi-Ndaitwah) (28 March 2025). ["Netumbo Nandi- Ndaitwah appointments of regional governors in the 8th administration"](https://www.namibian.com.na/netumbo-nandi-ndaitwah-appointments-of-regional-governors-in-the-8th-administration/). *[The Namibian](/source/The_Namibian)*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** Miyanicwe, Clemans; Kahiurika, Ndanki (27 November 2013). "School counsellors overstretched". *[The Namibian](/source/The_Namibian)*. p. 1.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-census_17-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-census_17-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-census_17-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-census_17-3) ["Hardap Region – Census Indicators, 2023"](https://web.archive.org/web/20241110234059/https://census.nsanamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf) (PDF). National Planning Commission. 2023. Archived from [the original](https://census.nsanamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf) (PDF) on 10 November 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Duddy, Jo Maré (11 April 2013). ["Unemployment rate still alarmingly high"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130414025748/http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2013/april/article/unemployment-rate-still-alarmingly-high). *[The Namibian](/source/The_Namibian)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2013/april/article/unemployment-rate-still-alarmingly-high/) on 14 April 2013.

### Literature

- National Planning Commission (Namibia) (2007). *Hardap Regional Poverty Profile: based on village-level participatory poverty assessments in Hardap Region, Namibia: October 2005-February 2006*. Windhoek, Namibia: Office of the President. [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [475404251](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/475404251).

v t e Regions of Namibia Erongo Hardap ǁKharas Kavango East Kavango West Khomas Kunene Ohangwena Omaheke Omusati Oshana Oshikoto Otjozondjupa Zambezi

v t e Constituencies in the Hardap Region of Namibia Aranos Daweb Gibeon Mariental Rural Mariental Urban Rehoboth Rural Rehoboth Urban East Rehoboth Urban West

[24°37′S 17°57′E / 24.617°S 17.950°E / -24.617; 17.950](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Hardap_Region&params=24_37_S_17_57_E_source:kolossus-eswiki)

Authority control databases Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Hardap Region](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardap_Region) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardap_Region?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.