Outjo
Encyclopedia
Outjo is a city of 6,000 inhabitants in the Kunene Region
of Namibia
. It is the district capital of Outjo Constituency
. It is best known as a main gateway to Etosha National Park
.
in 1897 as a small military base
in order to explore the northern area of German South-West Africa
. The local historical museum (Franke Haus Museum) details the campaign of Major Viktor Franke
in Ovamboland
.
The "Impalila monument" commemorates the small expedition on the Portuguese fort of Impalila
in Angola
by Major Viktor Franke in October 1914 following the massacre of a German delegation which had been sent to negotiate a treaty of non-aggression.
The town lies near Gamkarab Cave, known for its stalactite
s and stalagmite
s and its pietersite
.
The caves are on private ground and not open to the public.
Outjo has an airstrip that accommodates small fixed winged planes +/-10km from the CBD.
Outjo is the terminus of a branch railway of the Namibian railway system. Currently not in use.
Kunene Region
Kunene is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia and home to the Himba ethnic group. Compared to the rest of Namibia, it is relatively underdeveloped...
of Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. It is the district capital of Outjo Constituency
Outjo Constituency
Outjo is a constituency in the Kunene Region of Namibia. Its population is 8,947. Its district capital is the town of Outjo....
. It is best known as a main gateway to Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is a national park in the Kunene Region of northwestern Namibia. The park shares boundaries with the regions of Oshana, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa....
.
Overview
The town was founded by Germans under the command of Colonel Theodor von LeutweinTheodor Leutwein
Theodor Gotthilf Leutwein was colonial administrator of German Southwest Africa from 1894-1904. Born in Strümpfelbrunn in the Grand Duchy of Baden, he replaced Curt von François as commander of the Schutztruppe in 1894...
in 1897 as a small military base
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
in order to explore the northern area of German South-West Africa
German South-West Africa
German South West Africa was a colony of Germany from 1884 until 1915, when it was taken over by South Africa and administered as South West Africa, finally becoming Namibia in 1990...
. The local historical museum (Franke Haus Museum) details the campaign of Major Viktor Franke
Victor Franke
Erich Victor Carl August Franke was a German military officer and last commander of the Schutztruppe in German Southwest Africa....
in Ovamboland
Ovamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
.
The "Impalila monument" commemorates the small expedition on the Portuguese fort of Impalila
Impalila
Impalila is an island at the far eastern tip of Namibia, bounded on the north by the waters of the Zambezi river and on the south by the Chobe River...
in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
by Major Viktor Franke in October 1914 following the massacre of a German delegation which had been sent to negotiate a treaty of non-aggression.
The town lies near Gamkarab Cave, known for its stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
s and stalagmite
Stalagmite
A stalagmite is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. This stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. The corresponding formation on...
s and its pietersite
Pietersite
Pietersite was discovered by Sid Pieters in 1962 while he was prospecting some farmland in Namibia, Africa. After his discovery, he registered the find in the mineral records of Britain. His discovery was published in 1964, and the material was named pietersite. Currently there are only two known...
.
The caves are on private ground and not open to the public.
Transport
Outjo is the Gateway to the Etosha National Park. Situated on the C38, +/-90 Southwest of the Southern entrance, the Anderson Gate. Outjo is also the last frontier before going into Damaraland (C39 towards Khorixas) and Kaokoaveld (C40 towards Kamanjab).Outjo has an airstrip that accommodates small fixed winged planes +/-10km from the CBD.
Outjo is the terminus of a branch railway of the Namibian railway system. Currently not in use.