Most people of northern Namibia fish, grow crops, and raise livestock for a living. Many Ovambo and Kavango men also work in copper mines at Tsumeb or in diamond mines near the southern border. Most of the rural people south of Ovamboland farm and raise livestock. Many of Namibia's whites hold administrative jobs in urban areas. The standard of living among Namibia's black ethnic groups varies, but most of the black people must struggle to make a living.
Whites generally have higher incomes than do blacks.
But when Namibia gained independence, the government began working to raise the economic level of the blacks. Namibia's official language is English. But most black Namibians speak local African languages. About 15 such languages are spoken in the country. About 90 percent of the people are Christians.