Culture and heritage
Relatively little was known by the outside world about Namibia, which for many years was referred to by its geographic location: South West Africa, before the middle of the nineteenth century when explorers, ivory hunters, prospectors and missionaries began to journey into its interior. The country was colonized by Germany in 1884. Information about this huge and geographically daunting land began trickling out to the rest of the world when early misssionaries, who commenced their work in the south at places like Warmbad and Bethanie began sending out reports of their findings and their work. Conflict between the Nama and the Herero people resulted in the arrival of the Schutztruppe, German Protective Forces, whose task was to end this conflict. Eventually conflict broke out between the Schutztruppe and the Namas, as well as between the Schutztruppe and the Hereros.
When diamonds were discovered at Lüderitz in 1908, serious attention was drawn to German South West Africa, as it was known at the time. After the German capitulation in 1915, martial law prevailed until 1919, when South West Africa became a mandate under the supervision of the Union of South Africa. In 1966 the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) launched the war for liberation for the area soon-named Namibia. In 1971 the Republic of South Africa rejected an International Court of Justice ruling that the UN could cancel the mandate. The struggle for independence intensified and continued until South Africa agreed in 1988 to end its Apartheid administration in accordance with UN Resolution 435. After democratic elections were held in 1989, Namibia became an independent state on21 March 1990. The Walvis Bay enclave was returned to Namibia and reintegrated on 1 March1994.