The country of just 2.1 million people also attracts tourists with its diverse wildlife - a factor that drives the safari industry. According to estimates by the World Travel and Tourism Council, Namibia's tourism industry will grow 9.1% over the next 10 years.
Namibia is also a country that brings together four distinct regions with their own characteristics and attractions:
It is a coastal desert that runs the length of the country and is marked by shifting sand belts, dry riverbeds and canyons.
There is the central plateau – home to most of Namibia’s towns and villages and separated by rugged mountain ranges and sandy valleys. Next is the vast Kalahari Desert with its ancient red sands and sparse vegetation.
It is the Kavango and Caprivi regions, blessed with generous rainfall that nature has given rise to tropical forests, large rivers and forest savannas.
And Namibia is home to vibrant cities where people are excited about a bright future while remaining deeply connected to their rich and ancient culture.
The iconic beauty of Namibia was captured by Photographer Paul Goldstein in the photos below.
1. Desert giraffe
2. Golden sand dunes
3. The beauty of serenity
4. African elephant
5. In the sunset
6. Giraffe
7. Zebras in the Hartmann Mountains
8. A jackal in the sunset
9. Children of the nomadic Himba tribe
10. Above our heads there is only sky
11. Desert goat
12. As a country with the lowest population density in the world, Paul sometimes wandered for days without meeting anyone.
13. A pair of wandering ostriches paid no attention to Paul's presence.
14. African elephant
15. Desert beetle in Hartmanns Valley near Angola, Northern Namibia
16. Springbok in the sunset
17. The starry sky and the lonely tree in the desert
