Lüderitz
Lüderitz | |
|---|---|
 View of Lüderitz | |
 Coat of arms | |
| Motto(s): Challenge, Innovation, Prosperity | |
| Country |  Namibia |
| Region | Karas Region |
| Constituency | Lüderitz Constituency |
| Established | 1883 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Hambelela Suzan Ndjaleka[1] |
| Population (2001)[2] | |
| • Total | 13,295 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 |
Lüderitz is a harbour town[3] in south-west Namibia, lying on one of the least hospitable coasts in Africa. It is a port developed around Robert Harbour and Shark Island.
The town is known for its colonial architecture, including some Art Nouveau work, and for wildlife including seals, penguins, flamingos and ostriches. It is also home to a museum, and lies at the end of a currently[update] decommissioned railway line to Keetmanshoop.
History
The town was founded in 1883 when Heinrich Vogelsang purchased Angra Pequena and some of the surrounding land on behalf of Adolf Lüderitz, a Hanseat from Bremen in Germany, from the local Nama chief. Lüderitz began its life as a trading post, with other activities in fishing and guano-harvesting.
In 1909, after the discovery of diamonds nearby, Lüderitz enjoyed a sudden surge of prosperity due to the development of a diamond rush to the area. In 1912 Lüderitz already had 1,100 inhabitants, not counting the indigenous population. Although situated in harsh environment between desert and Ocean, trade in the harbour town surged, and the adjacent diamond mining settlement of Kolmanskop was built.[4]
After the German World War I capitulation South Africa took over the administration of German South-West Africa in 1915. Many Germans were deported from Lüderitz, contributing to its shrinking in population numbers. From 1920 onwards, diamond mining was only conducted further south of town in places like Pomona and Elizabeth Bay. This development consequently led to the loss of Lüderitz' importance as trade place. Only small fishing enterprises, minimal dock activity, and a few carpet weavers remained.[4]
Geography
The harbour has a very shallow rock bottom, making it unusable for modern ships; this led to Walvis Bay becoming the centre of the Namibian shipping industry. Recently, however, the addition of a new quay has allowed larger fishing vessels to dock at Lüderitz. The town has also re-styled itself in an attempt to lure tourists to the area, which includes a new waterfront area for shops and offices.
In the bay lies Shark island, site of the extermination camp that was used in the Herero and Namaqua Genocide between 1904 and 1907.
Just outside of Lüderitz lies the ghost town of Kolmanskop, a prominent tourist destination. This previously bustling diamond town is now abandoned, and fights a constant struggle against being buried under the shifting sand dunes of the Namib desert.
Conservation
The coastline in the area is recognised by Bird Life and other global conservation groups as one of the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for important coastal seabird breeding.
Mercury Island, Ichaboe Island, Halifax Island and the Possession Islands support the entire Namibian breeding population of Cape Gannets Morus Capensis, 96% of the Namibian population of the endangered African Penguin Spheniscus Demersus, and nearly one quarter of the global breeding population of Crowned Cormorants Phalacrocorax coronatus.[5]
Approximately 80% of the global population of the endangered Bank Cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus breeds on Mercury Island and in the Ichaboe Islands.
In April 2009, an oil spill from an off-coast oil tanker spilled, risking hundreds of African Penguins and other flora and fauna.
Climate
Lüderitz has a mild desert climate (BWn, according to the Köppen climate classification), with pleasant temperatures throughout the year. The average annual precipitation is 23 mm (1 in).
| Climate data for Lüderitz | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 23 (73) |
22 (72) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
20 (68) |
19 (66) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
18 (64) |
19 (66) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
20 (68) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 14 (57) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
13 (55) |
11 (52) |
11 (52) |
10 (50) |
10 (50) |
10 (50) |
11 (52) |
12 (54) |
13 (55) |
12 (53) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2 (0.1) |
2 (0.1) |
4 (0.2) |
3 (0.1) |
2 (0.1) |
3 (0.1) |
2 (0.1) |
2 (0.1) |
1 (0.0) |
1 (0.0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.0) |
23 (0.9) |
| Source: World Climate Guide.[6] | |||||||||||||
Sport
Lüderitz is home to the Lüderitz Speed Challenge, the only international sporting event held in the town. This is an annual month-long speed sailing event held in the last quarter of the year under the auspices of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).[7]
In 1984 Lüderitz was the starting point for explorer and sailor Amyr Klink's successful solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, rowing for 101 days all the way to the Brazilian coast with no other form of propulsion.[8]
Economy and Infrastructure
Construction of a new port at Shearwater Bay, 30 km south of Lüderitz, has been proposed for the export of coal from Botswana with a 1600 km railway connecting the two.[9]
Media
Lüderitz has a local monthly newspaper, Buchter News. The paper, which was started as a source of free English-language reading material, is run by volunteers from the British gap year charity Project Trust. Recently the newspaper went online [1] and new initiatives like a forum for the community [2] are set-up by the volunteers.
Landmarks
 |
- Felsenkirche (Template:Lang-en) on Diamond Hill, a church in vertical gothic style consecrated in 1912. After the diamond rush of 1908 and the completion of the railway line to Keetmanshoop Lüderitz became permanently home to a significant white population. As a result a number of churches were built. Felsenkirche, one of the oldest Lutheran Churches in Namibia is a national monument since 1978.[10]
-
Goerke Haus -
Kapps-Ballsaal with Felsenkirche and Goerke Haus in background -
Bergstraße
References
- ^ Respect the elderly: Lüderitz mayor The Namibian, 7 January 2011
- ^ Republic of Namibia 2001 Population and Housing Census (Basic Analysis with Highlights ed.). Windhoek: Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning Commission. July 2003. p. 21. ISBN 0-86976-614-7.
- ^ City of Windhoek Cooperations and Partnerships
- ^ a b "Unverwüstliche Felsenkirche zwischen Wüste und Meer". Gondwana History (in German) (92). supplement to various Namibian newspapers.
{{cite journal}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Unknown parameter|trans_title=ignored (|trans-title=suggested) (help) - ^ "Walk on our coastline". Namibian Coast Conservation and Management Project (NACOMA). Retrieved October 21, 2008.
- ^ World Climate Guide
- ^ "World's best at Luderitz Speed Challenge | Sailing News". Seabreeze.com.au. 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2012-04-24.
- ^ "O herói do Atlântico" (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2008-10-11. [dead link]
- ^ http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2484
- ^ Bause, Tanja (21 May 2012). "Lüderitz church celebrates centenary". The Namibian.
External links
