USAKOS

BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

Mr Jansen bought land from Maherero, son of Tjimuaha, the place was called Usakos. Usakos is a Damara for "grab the heel." In 1900 the Otavi Minen- und Eisenbahngesellschaft (OMEG), building a railway line from Swakopmund to Tsumeb, build a railway station on the land which they bought from Jansen in 1905.

On the banks of the Khan River, railway-engineers created a watering place for locomotives and for passengers on the eastern end of the Namib Desert. The town grew in spite of the heat, into a village with a lime works, a few shops and a two hotels.

GEOGRAPHY AND LOCATION

The town is situated on the 22nd degree of latitude about centrally in the Erongo Region and 180km from the port of Walvis Bay and 235km from Windhoek. Erongo Regions borders the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The Usakos district has a square of 5376Km. The main towns of Usakos district are Usakos, Karibib, Otjimbingwe, Tubusis, /Goabeb and Spitzkoppe.

CLIMATE SOILS AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Horizon: the longest uninterrupted horizon can be seen from the certain sports around Usakos. This horizon is unique in the world. On average Usakos has 300 days of sunshine a year. Rainfall is erratically in summer. The summer days are hot with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. Late afternoons in summer, the wind from the west brings in cool air. Winter days are usually warm, but nights turn cold, with frost sometimes in the mornings. The soils are rocky in certain areas and sandy and clayish closer to river banks. Vegetation: Usakos has mostly grass and semi-desert shrubs. Tree variety consist of Ana-tree in the river banks, !Gaban, Dun, Xaupen and /Hunin. The prominent physical characteristic of the region include the worlds oldest desert, the Namib, the Erongo Mountain range of volcanic origin, the Brandberg, the highest mountain in the Country, the Spitskoppe, the Savannah - (bush and grass) and Camel Thorn Trees.

BASIC SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Adequate land is available for any industry as long as it is environmentally friendly. To accommodate investors the Council has not fixed prices for land for bigger investors. The prices are negotiable. Block development is also welcome, the details of which are also negotiable.

INFRASTRUCTURE

* Two Primary Schools and one Junior Secondary School
* Three kindergartens (Creches)
- One Government Hospital
- One Private Hospital
- One Clinic
- Three Doctors
- First National Bank
- Post Office (automatic telephone system - MTC Services)
- Police Station
- Magistrate Office
- Abattoir
- Swimming Pool
- Well establish railway system
- Tarred roads link with
Windhoek - 235 Km
Swakopmund - 143 Km
Walvis Bay - 180 Km
Otjiwarongo -216 Km
Link with coast and interior by rail, road and air (Port of Walvis Bay, Walvis Bay Airport, Airstrip at Usakos) for light aircraft.

(taken from: ALAN, © The Association for Local Authorities in Namibia)