Namibia's tsunami-like sand dunes, the highest in the world, give great texture to its immense deserts (as do its unique desert elephants and rhinos). And its famed Skeleton Coast, a breathtaking meeting of sandy wilderness and sea, is a heart-stopper

• TOTAL AREA: 825,418 sq km

• LAND AREA: 825,418 sq km

• WATER AREA: 0 sq km

• POPULATION: 2,044,147

• RELIGIONS: Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%

• LANGUAGES: English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages (Oshivambo, Herero, Nama)

• GOVERNMENT TYPE: Republic

• CAPITAL CITY: Windhoek

• OFFICIAL CURRENCY: Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

• TIME ZONE: GMT/UTC + 2