Namibia — Stamps & Postal Service

Postal Service Overview

Namibia Post (NamPost) is Namibia’s national postal operator. Namibia’s philatelic history is among Africa’s most complex: German South West Africa stamps (1897–1915), South West Africa mandate stamps (South African administration, 1923–1990), and independent Namibia stamps from 1990. German South West Africa is historically notorious as the site of the first genocide of the 20th century (the Herero and Nama genocide, 1904–1908), documented in colonial-era stamps. Namibia contains the Namib Desert — the world’s oldest desert — and extraordinary desert wildlife.

Notable Stamp Issues

German South West Africa stamps (1897–1915) are classic early German colonial material — using the Kaiser’s Yacht design typical of German territories. South West Africa mandate stamps (South African administration, 1923–1990) used bilingual English/Afrikaans designs similar to Union of South Africa stamps. The SWA wildlife definitive series (1973–1990) is among Africa’s most beautiful, featuring the gemsbok, oryx, and Namib wildlife in exquisite designs. Namibia independence stamps from 1990 depicted the new flag, Etosha Pan wildlife, and the Skeleton Coast.

Collecting Tips

Stanley Gibbons Commonwealth catalogue covers South West Africa/Namibia. Michel covers German South West Africa. The SWA wildlife definitives (1973–1990) are highly regarded as African wildlife stamp designs. Namibia’s Welwitschia mirabilis stamps — depicting the extraordinary 2,000-year-old desert plant found only in Namibia — are unique in world botany philately. Desert-adapted elephant and lion stamps from Namibia’s Skeleton Coast are popular wildlife items. The Sossusvlei sand dunes appear on landscape stamps popular with geography collectors.

Part of the Africa Postal Directory.