Namibia is known for it’s contrasting landscapes. There is the brooding, desolate Namib Desert, said to be the oldest in the world, with its high dunes and awe-inspiring sense of space. The central plateau, with its thornbush savanna and rugged mountains, rising abruptly from the plains, gives way to the majestic Fish River Canyon in the south. In the north of the country, the landscape ranges from dense bush and open plains of the great Etosha Pan, to woodland savanna and lush riverine vegetation.
Dinosaur footprints preserved in the sandstone, prehistoric rock art, and the ancient fossil plant, Welwitchia mirabilis, bear witness to the aeons past in this - "the ageless land".
Namibia is also the first country in the world to include protection of the environment and sustainable utilization of wildlife in its constitution. About 15 % of the country has been set aside as national parks. In these areas, rare and endangered species of animals, birds and plant life are preserved. Most of the African game species are well represented in Namibia, with the largest concentration of game in the Etosha National Park, which is firmly entrenched on the world map of international parks.
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