| Usakos | |||
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| — City — | |||
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| Motto: Excelsior | |||
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Usakos
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | Namibia | ||
| Region | Erongo Region | ||
| Constituency | Karibib Constituency | ||
| Established | 1900 | ||
| Population (2010)[1] | |||
| • Total | 3,000 | ||
| Time zone | South African Standard Time (UTC+1) | ||
Usakos (Damara: grab the heel,[2] Otjiherero name: Okanduu[3]) is a city[4] on the banks of river Khan, 140 kilometres north-east of Swakopmund in the Erongo Region of Namibia. It is located on the B2 (Trans-Kalahari Highway), the main road between the Walvis Bay and Johannesburg. The town has 3,000 inhabitants and owns 58 square kilometres (22 sq mi) of land.[1] Usakos is scheduled to be downgraded to "town" status before November 2010.[5]
The settlement was founded in 1900 as a watering station for locomotives when railway construction workers from Otavi Minen- und Eisenbahngesellschaft (Otavi Mining and Railway Company) (OMEG) arrived here on their way from Swakopmund to Tsumeb. Surrounded by mountains, Usakos is quite picturesque. Certain spots around the town show the longest uninterrupted horizon in the world.[2] It is the closest town to the Spitzkoppe, often referred to as the "Matterhorn of Namibia."
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Usakos is the junction of the branch railways to Tsumeb and the Angolan border, Outjo and Grootfontein from the line to Windhoek.
In the 2010 local authority election, a total of 1,029 votes were cast in the city. SWAPO won with approximately 47% of the vote. Of the three other parties seeking votes in the election, UDF received approximately 31% of the vote, followed by RDP (17%) and COD (4%).[6]
Usakos is the hometown of prominent politicians Alpheus !Naruseb and Tsudao Gurirab. Michael Goreseb represented the town politically as well.