Oshikoto Region

{{Use South African English|date=December 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox settlement  | name = Oshikoto Region | native_name = | native_name_lang =  | settlement_type = [[regions of Namibia|Region]] | image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_alt = | image_seal = | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | nickname = | motto = | mottoeng = | image_map = Oshikoto in Namibia.svg | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of the Oshikoto Region in [[Namibia]] | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|18|31|S|17|06|E|region:NA_type:adm1st_dim:200000|display=inline,title}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[Namibia]] | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | seat_type = Capital | seat = [[Tsumeb]] (-2008), [[Omuthiya]] (2008-present) | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = Sacky Kathindi | 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 = 38,685 | 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/p19dptss1rmdr1otri9iu391q23j.pdf |title=Oshikoto 2011 Census Regional Profile |access-date=10 April 2020 |website=Statistics Namibia |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nsa.nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Preliminary-Report-doc-fn.pdf|title=2023 Population & Housing Census Preliminary Report|website=Statistics Namibia|df=dmy|access-date=2024-03-16|archive-date=2024-03-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324152514/https://nsa.nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Preliminary-Report-doc-fn.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> | population_total = 257,302 | population_as_of = 2023 census | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | population_note = | timezone1 = [[Central Africa Time|CAT]] | utc_offset1 = +2 | timezone1_DST = | utc_offset1_DST = | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code_type = | area_code = | iso_code = | blank_name_sec1 = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2017) | blank_info_sec1 = 0.636<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://hdi.globaldatalab.org/areadata/shdi/|title=Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2018-09-13}}</ref><br/>{{color|#fc0|medium}} · [[List of Namibian regions by Human Development Index|7th]] | website = {{URL|oshikotorc.gov.na}} | footnotes = }}

'''Oshikoto''' is one of the fourteen [[regions of Namibia]], named after [[Lake Otjikoto]]. Its capital is [[Omuthiya]]. Further major settlements in the region are [[Tsumeb]], Otjikoto's capital until 2008, and [[Oniipa]]. {{As of|2020}}, Oshikoto had 112,170 registered voters.<ref name=election2020>{{Cite web | title=Regional Council 2020 Election Results | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | date=18 January 2021 | series=''Interactive map'' | url=http://elections.na | accessdate=17 February 2022}}</ref>

==Geography==

Oshikoto Region is named after [[Lake Otjikoto]]<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newera.com.na/2015/11/13/oshikoto-scores-big-development-budget/ | title=Oshikoto scores big in development budget | last=Heita | first=Desie | newspaper=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]] | date=13 November 2015 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | access-date=15 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105533/https://www.newera.com.na/2015/11/13/oshikoto-scores-big-development-budget/ | url-status=usurped }}</ref> near its former capital [[Tsumeb]].

Oshikoto is one of only three Namibian regions without either a shoreline or a foreign border. It borders the following regions: *[[Ohangwena Region|Ohangwena]] - north *[[Kavango West]] - east *[[Otjozondjupa]] - southeast *[[Kunene Region|Kunene]] - southwest *[[Oshana]] - west

===Demographics=== The region's population has grown significantly over recent years, partly as a result of resettling / redistribution within the Oshiwambo-speaking area. Apart from Tsumeb and Oniipa, people have settled in a corridor along the trunk road, sometimes forming quite dense concentrations.

==Economy and infrastructure==

The northern part of the region practices crop agriculture, whereas the main economic activities in the southern part are cattle rearing and mining. The two areas have important cultural and historical links in that the [[Ndonga]] people have extracted copper at Tsumeb since the [[Ancient history|earliest times]] in order to make rings and tools.

[[Pearl millet]] (Mahangu) is the principal crop in the north, while cattle are reared in the Mangetti and the Tsumeb district. Although the Tsumeb mine has only a limited life span, it provides a boost for the communal areas of the region together with the associated support industries and services.

Communication networks and infrastructure are well developed in the area: a paved [[trunk road]] runs across the region, linking it to both the south and the north of the country. The national microwave network terminates at Tsumeb, but telecommunications are now carried across the region and as far as Oshakati by means of a newly laid [[optical fiber cable]].

According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Oshikoto Region is 26.4%.<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> {{As of|2013}} Oshikoto had 200 schools with a total of 60,439 pupils.<ref>{{cite news | title=School counsellors overstretched | last1=Miyanicwe | first1=Clemans | last2=Kahiurika |first2=Ndanki | date=27 November 2013 | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | page=1 | url=https://allafrica.com/stories/201311271330.html | publisher=allafrica.com | url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Politics== [[File:Wahlkreise in Oshikoto (2014).svg|thumb|360px|right|Oshikoto constituencies (2014)]]

===Constituencies=== Oshikoto comprises eleven [[Constituencies of Namibia|constituencies]]: {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * [[Eengodi Constituency|Eengodi]] * [[Guinas Constituency|Guinas]] * [[Nehale lyaMpingana Constituency|Nehale lyaMpingana]] (created 2013)<ref name=GG5261>{{Cite news | title=Creation of new regions and division and re-division of certain regions into constituencies: Regional Councils Act, 1992 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=5261 | pages=1–39 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=9 August 2013 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2013/5261.pdf | format=pdf | access-date=12 September 2023 | archive-date=27 April 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427123633/https://www.parliament.na/index.php/archive/category/39-2013?download=1979:5261&start=140 | url-status=live }}</ref> * [[Okankolo Constituency|Okankolo]] * [[Olukonda Constituency|Olukonda]] * [[Omuntele Constituency|Omuntele]] * [[Omuthiyagwiipundi Constituency|Omuthiyagwiipundi]] * [[Onayena Constituency|Onayena]] * [[Oniipa Constituency|Oniipa]] * [[Onyaanya Constituency|Onyaanya]] (until 1999 ''Okatope Constituency'')<ref name=GG2233>{{Cite news | title=Amendment of Proclamation No. 25 of 1 September 1992, as amended by Proclamation No. 16 of 31 August 1998 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=2233 | page=2 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=22 November 1999 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/1999/2233.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref> * [[Tsumeb Constituency|Tsumeb]] (until 1999 ''Oshikoto Constituency'')<ref name=GG2233/> {{div col end}}

===Regional elections=== Electorally, Oshikoto is consistently dominated by the [[South West Africa People's Organization]] (SWAPO). In the [[2004 Namibian local and regional elections|2004 regional election]] for the [[National Assembly of Namibia]], SWAPO won all constituencies, and mostly by a landslide. In Eengodi no opposition party even nominated a candidate.<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=9 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=3 January 2005 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2005/3366.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref>

The [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2015|2015 local and regional elections]] saw SWAPO obtain 98.8% of the votes cast ([[2010 Namibian local and regional elections|2010]]: 95.6%)<ref name=election2020/> and win nine of the eleven constituencies uncontested .<ref name=uncontested>{{cite news|last=Kangootui |first=Nomhle |newspaper=[[The Namibian]] |title=Swapo gets ǃNamiǂNûs uncontested |url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?page=read&id=33153 |date=23 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024163513/http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?page=read&id=33153 |archive-date=October 24, 2015 }}</ref> The remaining two constituencies were also won by SWAPO with majorities well over 80%.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Regional Council Election Results 2015 | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | date=3 December 2015 | page=19 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/223442/Regional+Counils+Election+Results_Duly+elected+candidates+2015.pdf/32493774-80b3-4be3-9ca1-1f6ce187673a?version=1.0 | url-status=dead | archive-url=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 | archive-date=8 December 2015 }}</ref>

Although SWAPO's support dropped to 73.2% of the total votes in the [[2020 Namibian local and regional elections|2020 regional election]] it again won in all constituencies. Most of the non-SWAPO votes went to the upstart [[Independent Patriots for Change]] (IPC), an opposition party formed in August 2020.<ref name=GG7654>{{Cite news | title=Publication of results and particulars in respect of general elections for Regional Councils: Electoral Act, 2014 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=7654 | pages=19–20 | publisher=[[Government of Namibia]] | date=8 October 2021 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2021/7654.pdf | format=pdf}}</ref>

===Governors=== * [[Penda Ya Ndakolo]] (2004–2015)<ref>{{cite news | url=https://neweralive.na/oshikoto-governor-creates-awareness/ | title=Oshikoto governor creates awareness | last=Nawatiseb | first=Engel | newspaper=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]] | date=27 January 2014 | archive-date=16 August 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816155744/http://www.newera.com.na/2014/01/27/oshikoto-governor-creates-awareness/ | url-status=live}}</ref> * [[Henock Kankoshi]] (2015–2020)<ref name=Governor>{{Cite news | title=President announces governors | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | date=10 April 2015 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/president-announces-governors/ | access-date=14 April 2015 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20150414075438/http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=25471 | archive-date=14 April 2015 | url-status=live}}</ref> * Penda Ya Ndakolo (2020–2025)<ref name=Goodbye>{{cite news | url=https://www.namibiansun.com/news/goodbye2020-04-08/ | title=Goodbye | date=10 April 2020 | page=1 | newspaper=[[Namibian Sun]]}}</ref> * Sacky Kathindi (2025–)<ref>{{Cite news | last=Nandi-Ndaitwah | first=Netumbo | authorlink=Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah | date=28 March 2025 | title=Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appointments of regional governors in the 8th administration | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/netumbo-nandi-ndaitwah-appointments-of-regional-governors-in-the-8th-administration/ | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | language=en-ZA}}</ref>

==Demographics== As of 2023, Oshikoto is home to 257,302 inhabitants. In the general population, women outnumber men, with 98 males per 100 females. The population is majority rural, with only 18.3% living in urban settlements. The population density is 6.7 people per km<sup>2</sup>. 6% of residents are not Namibian citizens. There are 60,643 private households, averaging 4.1 members. The population is growing at an annual rate of 2.9%, with a fertility rate of 4.4 children per woman. 14.7% is under 5, 24.8% 5-14, 31.9% 15-34, 20.3% 35-59, and 8.3% over 60.<ref name="Census">{{Cite web|title=2023 Population and Housing Census Main Report|url=https://census.nsanamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf|publisher=Namibia Statistics Agency|year=2023|access-date={{today}}|archive-date=2024-11-10|archive-url=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|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Marriage status=== 27.8% of the adult population has been married, either with certificate (18.6%), traditionally (2.9%), in a consensual union (2.2%), divorced (0.9%), or widowed (2.9%). The population generally marries older, with only 0.8% of the current youth population married before age 18.<ref name="Census"/>

===Education and employment=== The literacy rate has decreased from 2011 to 85.2%. 22.2% percent of pre-primary youth attend Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs. The maximum level of educational attainment is mostly primary (46.2%), with only 20.8% pursuing secondary education and 8.5% pursuing tertiary education. 12.3% has no educational attainment. 33.3% of inhabitants earn a wage or salary as their primary source of income, 18.3% receive an old-age pension, 23.6% rely on farming, and 8.3% are involved in non-farming business. <ref name="Census"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links==

* [https://oshikotorc.gov.na Official website] Oshikoto Regional Council {{Wikivoyage|Four-O region}}

[[Category:Oshikoto Region| ]] [[Category:Regions of Namibia]] [[Category:States and territories established in 1992]] [[Category:1992 establishments in Namibia]]