Walvis Bay

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Walvis Bay, Namibia

Area	1,124 km² (696.9 mi²)
Established	1840
Population	65,000
Population Density	30.4/km² (65.2/mi²)
Administrative Division	Erongo
Mayor	Derek Klaazen
Municipality CEO	Augustinus Katiti
Time Zone	South African Standard Time: UTC+1
Latitude and Longitude	Latitude: 22.95°S	Longitude: 14.50°E

Walvis Bay, (Dutch/Afrikaans Walvisbaai, German Walfischbucht or Walfischbai, meaning "Whale Bay"), is a port in Namibia and the bay on which it lies.

The bay has been a haven for sea vessels because of its natural deepwater harbour, protected by the Pelican Point sand spit. Being rich in plankton and marine life, these waters drew large numbers of whales attracting whalers and fishing vessels. A succession of colonists exploited the location and resources of this strategic harbour settlement. The harbour's value in relation to the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope had caught the attention of world powers since it was discovered. This explains the complicated political status of Walvis Bay down the years.

The town lies at the end of the Trans-Namib Railway to Windhoek, and on the B2 road.

Walvis Bay's attractions include the artificial Bird Island, centre of a guano collection industry, the Dune 7 sand dune, salt works, birdlife and a museum.

[edit] History

Map showing location of Walvis Bay and reference to South Africa before the handover to Namibia

The renowned Portuguese navigator Bartolomeu Dias anchored his flagship São Cristóvão in Walvis Bay on 8 December 1487, on his expedition to discover a sea route to the East via the Cape of Good Hope. He named the bay "O Golfo de Santa Maria da Conceição." However, the Portuguese did not formally stake a claim to Walvis Bay.

Nothing much was done with Walvis Bay until 1840, when in the scramble for Africa, Britain, the dominant seafaring nation at the time, annexed Walvis Bay and a small area surrounding the territory both to forestall German ambitions in the region and to ensure safe passage of British ships around the Cape. In 1910, Walvis Bay, as well as the Cape Colony, became part of the newly formed Union of South Africa. However, a dispute arose with Germany over the enclave's boundaries. This was eventually settled in 1911 and Walvis Bay was allocated an area of 1 124 km² (697.5 mi²).

Aerial photo of the harbour area

The enclave was overrun by the Germans early in World War I, but South African Forces eventually ousted the Germans in 1915 and Walvis Bay was quickly integrated into the new martial law regime established in South-West Africa. South Africa was later awarded control over South-West Africa by the League of Nations. Civilian rule was restored in South-West Africa in 1921 and Walvis Bay became an integral part of South-West Africa. Anticipating an imminent ceding of its control over South-West Africa, South Africa transferred power over Walvis Bay back to its Cape Province in 1971.

In an attempt to avoid losing control of Walvis Bay in 1977 to a possibly hostile SWAPO-led government, the then South African Government reimposed direct rule and reasserted its claim of sovereignty based on the original annexation. In 1978, the United Nations Security Council provided for bilateral negotiations between South Africa and a future Namibia to resolve the political status of Walvis Bay.

In 1990, South-West Africa gained independence. A new nation, Namibia, was born but Walvis Bay remained under South African control while the process of political change was accelerating there. After independence the local business community and investors in Walvis Bay applied pressure on the South African authorities to resolve its political status. It took until after the date for the first fully democratic elections in South Africa in 1994 had been set, before Walvis Bay was formally returned to Namibia. Sovereignty over Walvis Bay was formally transferred to Namibia at midnight on 28 February 1994.