Kavango Region

{{Infobox settlement  | name = Kavango Region | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | settlement_type = Former Region | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_alt = | image_seal = | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | nickname = | motto = | mottoeng = | image_map = Namibia Regions Kavango 250px.png | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of the Kavango Region in Namibia | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|17|55|S|19|45|E|source:kolossus-eswiki_region:NA_type:adm2nd_|display=title,inline}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Namibia | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | seat_type = Capital | seat = Rundu | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = | leader_name = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = <ref>{{cite journal |year=2013 |title=Namibia's Population by Region |journal=Election Watch |publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research |issue=1 |page=3}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 48,742 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | population_footnotes = <ref name =Census2011>{{cite web |url=https://cms2.my.na/assets/documents/p19dptss1rcu81nvk1r3c1ipt1r1vp.pdf |title=Kavango 2011 Census Regional Profile |access-date=10 April 2020 |website=Statistics Namibia |df=dmy }}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | population_total = 223352 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_note = | timezone = CAT | utc_offset = +2 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | iso_code = | website =  | footnotes = }}

'''Kavango''' (before 1998: '''Okavango''')<ref>{{cite journal |year=2013 |title=Composition of the Delimitation Commissions and the major decisions made from 1990 to present |journal=Election Watch |publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research |issue=1 |page=2}}</ref> was one of the thirteen regions of Namibia until it was split into the Kavango East and Kavango West Regions in 2013. Its capital was Rundu.

In the north, Kavango bordered the Cuando Cubango Province of Angola, and in the southeast the North-West District of Botswana. Domestically, it bordered the following regions: *Zambezi – east *Otjozondjupa – south *Oshikoto – west *Ohangwena – northwest

Because of its rather higher rainfall than most other parts of Namibia, this region had agricultural potential for the cultivation of a variety of crops, as well as for organised forestry and agro-forestry, which stimulated furniture making and related industries.

Khaudum National Park and Mahango Game Park were located in the region.

== Constituencies == Kavango comprised nine constituencies: {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * Kahenge * Kapako * Mashare * Mpungu * Mukwe. * Ndiyona * Rundu Rural East * Rundu Rural West * Rundu Urban {{div col end}}

== Regional elections == Electorally, Kavango was consistently dominated by the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO). In the 2004 regional election for the National Assembly of Namibia, SWAPO won all constituencies by a large margin.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Electoral Act, 1992: Notification of Result of General Election for Regional Councils | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=3366 | page=10 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=3 January 2005 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2005/3366.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref>

== Governors == Ambrosius Haingura, a prominent SWAPO organizer during the Namibian War of Independence, served as the region's first regional governor from 1993 to 1995.<ref name="Shiremo">{{cite news|url=http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?title=Cde_Ambrosius_Haingura:_A_great_campaigner_for_equality_and_freedom&articleid=36337 |title=Cde Ambrosius Haingura: A great campaigner for equality and freedom |last=Shiremo |first=Shampapi |date=19 November 2010 |work=New Era |access-date=16 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331025207/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?title=Cde_Ambrosius_Haingura%3A_A_great_campaigner_for_equality_and_freedom&articleid=36337 |archive-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> Maurus Nekaro, the governor of the Kavango Region from December 2010, died in office on March 4, 2013.<ref name=nsun>{{cite news|title=Former dissident, post-1989 politician Battěk dies |url=http://sun.com.na/content/national-news/kavango-regional-governor-no-more |work=Namibian Sun |date=2013-03-05 |access-date=2013-03-25}}</ref> Samuel Mbambo was appointed as Kavango's last governor in April 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2013/april/article/pohamba-continues-to-pave-way-for-geingob/ |title=Pohamba continues to pave way for Geingob |last=Immanuel |first=Shinovene |date=22 April 2013 |work=The Namibian}}</ref>

== Dissolution == The Fourth Delimitation Commission of Namibia, responsible for recommending on the country's administrative divisions suggested in August 2013 to split the Kavango Region into two. The president Hifikepunye Pohamba enacted the recommendations. As a result, the new regions of Kavango East and Kavango West were created.<ref name=split>{{cite news | title=President divides Kavango into two | last=Nakale | first=Albertina | date=9 August 2013 | newspaper=New Era | publisher=allafrica.com | url=http://www.newera.com.na/articles/53580/President-divides-Kavango-into-two | url-status=usurped | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022020857/http://www.newera.com.na/articles/53580/President-divides-Kavango-into-two | archive-date=22 October 2014 | access-date=16 August 2013 }}</ref>

==Population== The region was characterised by an extremely uneven population distribution. The interior is very sparsely inhabited, while the northernmost strip, especially along the Kavango River, has a high population concentration. Largest urban settlements were the capital Rundu and the towns of Nkurenkuru and Divundu.

==Economy and infrastructure== Kavango was the region with the highest poverty level in Namibia, more than 50% of the population were classified as poor.<ref>{{cite news |title=Namibian women, poorest of the poor |last=Heita |first=Desie |date=29 November 2012 |work=New Era}}</ref> According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Kavango Region was 29.8% at the time.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2013/april/article/unemployment-rate-still-alarmingly-high/ |title=Unemployment rate still alarmingly high |last=Duddy |first=Jo Maré |date=11 April 2013 |newspaper=The Namibian |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414025748/http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2013/april/article/unemployment-rate-still-alarmingly-high |archive-date=14 April 2013 }}</ref> Economic activities included farming and tourism. Subsistence fishing also played a role in the nutrition of the people residing near the Kavango River.

Kavango had 323 schools with a total of 77,314 pupils.<ref>{{cite news |title=School counsellors overstretched |last1=Miyanicwe |first1=Clemans |last2=Kahiurika |first2=Ndanki |date=27 November 2013 |work=The Namibian |page=1}}</ref>

===Transport===

There was a particular dearth of north-south roads in the Region, apart from the Rundu-Grootfontein main road. Rundu has a small airstrip to accommodate medium-sized tourist or cargo aircraft in daylight only. The poor condition of the roads and the long distances had a negative effect on tourism; this situation was improved by the completion of the Trans–Caprivi Highway. A major highway connecting Rundu to western Kavango and the Ohangwena Region is under construction.

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons|Kavango}} {{Wikivoyage|Kavango}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110626095009/http://www.kavangorc.com.na/ Kavango Regional Council]

Category:Kavango Region Category:Regions of Namibia Category:States and territories established in 1992 Category:1992 establishments in Namibia Category:States and territories disestablished in 2013 Category:2013 disestablishments in Namibia