Straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, the country is bordered by Angola on the north, Botswana on the east, South Africa on the south, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west. A narrow strip in the northeastern corner projects between Angola and Botswana and touches Zambia. Walvis Bay, about midway along the coast, is an enclave belonging to South Africa. The only perennial rivers are the Okovango, Kunene, and Zambezi on the northern border and the Orange on Namibia's southern border. The climate is generally dry and hot.
Most rain falls during the summer but is unreliable.
There are prolonged droughts. Wildlife, Namibia's chief tourist attraction, includes the lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, giraffe, zebra, ostrich, and antelope. Etosha National Park is one of the largest game parks in the world. Namibia is one of Africa's richest countries in mineral deposits. Mining is the major economic activity, producing diamonds, zinc, lead, copper, uranium, silver, and gold.