Usakos
Encyclopedia
Usakos is a city on the banks of river Khan
, 140 kilometres north-east of Swakopmund
in the Erongo Region
of Namibia
. It is located on the B2
(Trans-Kalahari Highway), the main road between the Walvis Bay
and Johannesburg
. The town has 3,000 inhabitants and owns 58 square kilometres (22.4 sq mi) of land. Usakos is scheduled to be downgraded to "town" status before November 2010.
The settlement was founded in 1900 as a watering station for locomotives when railway construction workers from Otavi Minen- und Eisenbahngesellschaft
(Otavi
Mining and Railway Company) (OMEG) arrived here on their way from Swakopmund to Tsumeb
. Surrounded by mountains, Usakos is quite picturesque. Certain spots around the town show the longest uninterrupted horizon in the world. It is the closest town to the Spitzkoppe
, often referred to as the "Matterhorn
of Namibia."
and the Angola
n border, Outjo
and Grootfontein
from the line to Windhoek
.
, a total of 1,029 votes were cast in the city. SWAPO won with approximately 47% of the vote. Of the three other parties seeking votes in the election, UDF
received approximately 31% of the vote, followed by RDP
(17%) and COD
(4%).
and Tsudao Gurirab
. Michael Goreseb
represented the town politically as well.
Khan River
The river Khan is an ephemeral river crossing the Erongo region of central Namibia. It is the main tributary of the Swakop River and only occasionally carries surface water during the rain seasons in November and February/March....
, 140 kilometres north-east of Swakopmund
Swakopmund
Swakopmund is a city on the coast of northwestern Namibia, west of Windhoek, Namibia's capital. It is the capital of the Erongo administrative district. As a seaside resort, the weather is cooler here in December to January so the territorial administration moves to Swakopmund for these months...
in the Erongo Region
Erongo Region
Erongo is one of the 13 regions of Namibia. It comprises the Swakopmund magisterial district up to the Ugab River and includes Walvis Bay, Omaruru and Karibib magisterial districts. This region is named after Erongo mountain, a well known landmark in Namibia and in this area...
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 located on the B2
B2 road (Namibia)
The B2 is a major road in Namibia. The highway runs east-west between the major sea port of Walvis Bay and the nation's capital Windhoek....
(Trans-Kalahari Highway), the main road between the Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
and Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. The town has 3,000 inhabitants and owns 58 square kilometres (22.4 sq mi) of land. Usakos is scheduled to be downgraded to "town" status before November 2010.
The settlement was founded in 1900 as a watering station for locomotives when railway construction workers from Otavi Minen- und Eisenbahngesellschaft
Otavi Mining and Railway Company
The Otavi Mining and Railway Company was a railway and mining company in German South-West Africa...
(Otavi
Otavi
Otavi is a town of 4,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otavi electoral constituency. Most of the area is dolomitic and the district was in the past renowned for its mineral wealth...
Mining and Railway Company) (OMEG) arrived here on their way from Swakopmund to Tsumeb
Tsumeb
Tsumeb is a city of 15,000 inhabitants and the largest town in Oshikoto region in northern Namibia. Tsumeb is the home of the world-famous Tsumeb mine, and the "gateway to the north" of Namibia. It is the closest town to the Etosha National Park...
. Surrounded by mountains, Usakos is quite picturesque. Certain spots around the town show the longest uninterrupted horizon in the world. It is the closest town to the Spitzkoppe
Spitzkoppe
The Spitzkoppe , is a group of bald granite peaks or bornhardts located between Usakos and Swakopmund in the Namib desert of Namibia. The granite is more than 700 million years old and the highest outcrop rises about 1784 meters above sea level...
, often referred to as the "Matterhorn
Matterhorn
The Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...
of Namibia."
Development and infrastructure
Usakos is the junction of the branch railways to TsumebTsumeb
Tsumeb is a city of 15,000 inhabitants and the largest town in Oshikoto region in northern Namibia. Tsumeb is the home of the world-famous Tsumeb mine, and the "gateway to the north" of Namibia. It is the closest town to the Etosha National Park...
and the 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...
n border, Outjo
Outjo
Outjo is a city of 6,000 inhabitants in the Kunene Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of Outjo Constituency...
and Grootfontein
Grootfontein
Grootfontein is a city of 14,200 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 national road that leads from Windhoek to the Caprivi Strip...
from the line to Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
.
Local authority results, 2010
In the 2010 local authority electionNamibian local and regional elections, 2010
Namibia held elections for their local and regional councils on 26 and 27 November 2010. The terms of regional councillors and local authority representatives were originally set to expire in 2009...
, a total of 1,029 votes were cast in the city. SWAPO won with approximately 47% of the vote. Of the three other parties seeking votes in the election, UDF
United Democratic Front (Namibia)
The United Democratic Front is a political party in Namibia. Justus Garoëb is the party's leader.-1989:The UDF received 37,874 votes in the 1989 election, which elected members to the Constituent Assembly of Namibia. The Constituent Assembly elected the first President and wrote Namibia's...
received approximately 31% of the vote, followed by RDP
Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is an opposition political party in Namibia. It was launched on November 17 2007 under the leadership of Hidipo Hamutenya and Jesaya Nyamu, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO...
(17%) and COD
Congress of Democrats
The Congress of Democrats is a political party in Namibia, led by Ben Ulenga. It is an opposition party represented in the National Assembly.The party is an observer of the Socialist International.- 2004 elections :...
(4%).
Notable residents
Usakos is the hometown of prominent politicians Alpheus !NarusebAlpheus !Naruseb
Alpheus /Gou-!na !Naruseb is a Namibian politician. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization , !Naruseb has been in the Cabinet of Namibia since 1997 and the National Assembly since 1994....
and Tsudao Gurirab
Tsudao Gurirab
Tsudao Immanuel Gurirab is a Namibian politician. A member of Congress of Democrats , Gurirab was formerly a member of the ruling South West Africa People's Organization until Gurirab, Ben Ulenga, Ignatius Shixwameni and others left SWAPO to form CoD in 1999...
. Michael Goreseb
Michael Goreseb
Michael Bantu Goreseb is a Namibian politician. A member of the United Democratic Front, Goreseb has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia since the 2004 parliamentary election as well as member of the UDF's Central Committee during the same time...
represented the town politically as well.