Omaruru, Namibia

Omaruru
City
Coat of arms of Omaruru
Motto(s): 
Belief and Courage
Omaruru is located in Namibia
Omaruru
Omaruru
Location in Namibia
Coordinates: 21°26′S 15°56′E / 21.433°S 15.933°E / -21.433; 15.933
Country Namibia
RegionErongo Region
ConstituencyOmaruru Constituency
Established1863
Area
 • Total
74 sq mi (192 km2)
Population
 (2023 census)[1][2]
 • Total
10,670
 • Density140/sq mi (56/km2)
Time zoneUTC+1 (South African Standard Time)
ClimateBWh

Omaruru is a town[3] in the Erongo Region of central Namibia. The town has 14,000 inhabitants[4] and encompasses 352 square kilometres (136 sq mi) of land.[5] It is situated near Mount Erongo, on the usually dry Omaruru River. It is located on the main paved road from Swakopmund to Otjiwarongo. The name in the Otjiherero language means 'bitter milk', as Herero cattle herds used to graze on the local bush that turned their milk bitter.

Omaruru is known for its annual festival where the Herero people commemorate their past local chiefs, its winery, and for the dinosaur footprints at nearby Otjihaenamparero.

  1. ^ "Table 4.2.2 Urban population by Census years (2001 and 2011)" (PDF). Namibia 2011 - Population and Housing Census Main Report. Namibia Statistics Agency. p. 39. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  2. ^ "2023 Population & Housing Census Preliminary Report" (PDF). Statistics Namibia.
  3. ^ "Local Authorities". Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN). Archived from the original on 10 June 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
  4. ^ Kazondovi, Lorraine (12 December 2011). "Racial integration failing at Omaruru". New Era. Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
  5. ^ "ELECTIONS 2010: Erongo regional profile". New Era. 16 November 2010. Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2010.