Country history · Africa

History of Namibia

11 recorded states lay in what is now Namibia, from the Kingdom of Ondonga (1650 CE). 3 outside powers ruled here.

ProfileState (capital or seat)Open in the atlas →

Empires that ruled here

Timeline

17th century

  1. Kingdom of Ondonga1650 CE – 1915 CE · kingdom

18th century

  1. Kwanyama Kingdom1700 CE – 1917 CE · kingdom

19th century

  1. Bondelswarts1800 CE – 1906 CE · chiefdom
  2. Orlam Afrikaner State1823 CE – 1880 CE · chiefdom
  3. Kololo Kingdom1840 CE – 1864 CE · kingdom
  4. Herero Paramountcy1863 CE – 1904 CE · chiefdom
  5. Witbooi Nama1863 CE – 1905 CE · chiefdom
  6. Rehoboth Basters1870 CE – 1990 CE · republic
  7. German South West Africa1884 CE – 1915 CE · colony
  8. Republic of Upingtonia1885 CE – 1887 CE · republic

20th century

  1. South West Africa1915 CE – 1990 CE · other

In the encyclopedia

Shared histories

States that also lay in other present-day countries:

States of Central and Southern Africa → All country histories →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). History of Namibia. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/namibia
MLA
“History of Namibia.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/namibia. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “History of Namibia.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/namibia.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘History of Namibia’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/namibia (Accessed: ).