Namibia is on Africa's south-west coast, bordering South Africa in the south, Botswana in the east, and Angola in the north. The skinny eastern appendage, the Caprivi Strip, connects Namibia to Zambia and Zimbabwe. The country is largely arid, but encompasses broad geographical variations and is usually divided into four regions: the Namib Desert and Coastal Plains along the coast; the scrubby, eastward-sloping Central Plateau; the Kalahari sands along the Botswana and South African borders; and the dense

The Namib Desert, the world's oldest arid region, has been around for over 80 million years. It extends along Namibia's entire Atlantic coast. Namib landscapes range from the mountainous red dunes in the south to the centre's interior plains and flat-topped, steep-sided, isolated mountains called

Namibia has some of Africa's most diverse natural habitats. Even in the desert you'll find elephants, giraffes and zebras; lions once came down to the sea, but have been pushed out of the dunes by poachers. Flocks of flamingoes live in Etosha National Park in the north. The Cape Cross Seal Reserve on the central coast is home to 100,000 Cape fur seals.

Although it's predominantly desert, Namibia enjoys regional climatic variations. The most arid climate is found in the central Namib, where summer daytime temperatures climb to over 40°C (105°F) but can fall to below freezing at night. Daytime temperatures in the mountainous and semi-arid Central Plateau (including Windhoek) are generally lower than in the rest of the country. Fog is common on the coast. December is the hottest month everywhere, when daily temperatures hit an average high of 30°C (86°F). There are two rainy seasons: the 'little rains' from October to December and the main rainy period from January to April. Low-lying areas in the eastern part of the country are generally much hotter than the Central Plateau and, except for Kavango and Caprivi in the north-east, receive little rain.

Namibia is a relatively inexpensive country to visit. Budget travellers need only spend about US$25 a day if they camp or stay in backpacker hostels, self-cater and use public transportation. A mid-range budget of around US$60 a day secures inexpensive hotels and a couple of daily restaurant meals. Better hotels, habitual restaurant meals, guided tours and a rented 4WD requires at least US$100 a day.

Major foreign currencies and travelers cheques can be exchanged in any bank. Rates for travelers cheques are better than cash. When changing money, you can choose between Namibian dollars or South African rand; for changing leftover money after your trip, rand is better. It's worth noting that the rand and the Namibian dollar have equal value in Namibia, but the Namibian dollar drops to about 70% of the rand in South Africa. Credit cards are widely accepted in shops, restaurants and hotels.

An 15.5% sales tax is applied to most purchases, including meals and accommodation, but it's not normally included in marked prices. Tipping is only expected in up-market restaurants, and only if a service charge hasn't already been added to the bill. Tipping is prohibited in national parks and reserves. Bargaining, particularly in rural markets, is a local way of life, especially for arts and crafts.

The dry winter season (May to October) is the most pleasant time to visit Namibia. It's best to avoid Namib-Naukluft Park and Etosha National Park in the extreme heat between December and March. Resort areas are busiest during both Namibian and South African school holidays, which usually take place from mid-December to mid-January, late-April to early June, and late-August to mid-September.