From the seemingly endless sand dunes of the Namib Desert to the tropical wetlands of the Caprivi Strip, Namibia is a country of epic landscapes, bountiful wildlife and few people. Its greatest assets are the rugged Namib and Kalahari deserts, which support a surprising diversity of fauna including rare black rhinos, cheetahs, elephants, springbok and vast flocks of ostriches.
Namibia faces a number of challenges providing health care to its citizens. The country has a dual system of public (serving 85% of the population) and private (15%) health care providers. In the financial year 2006/07, Government and private health expenditure combined accounted for 8.3% of the country's Gross Domestic Product.
The Namibian education system has been evolving since the nation achieved independence, although the dream of equal education for all remains tantalizingly unreached. A program of pre-primary education is unrolling, and is hoped to be completed by 2013. Pupils spend their first 7 years at primary school from age 6, where they are promoted from grade to grade on the basis of competencies.