Omaheke Region

Omaheke (the Otjiherero word for sandveld) is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia, the least populous region. Its capital is Gobabis. It lies in eastern Namibia on the border with Botswana and is the western extension of the Kalahari Desert. The self-governed villages of Otjinene, Leonardville, and Witvlei are situated in the region. As of 2020^[update], Omaheke had 48,594 registered voters.

In the east, Omaheke borders are three districts of Botswana:

Domestically, it borders the following regions:

Omaheke is traversed by the northwesterly line of equal latitude and longitude.

A large part of this region is known as the Sandveld. The northeastern part of the region is still very much wilderness.^{[citation needed]} According to the 2012 Namibia Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Omaheke Region is 34.1%.

Anthropologically, almost the entire Ovambanderu and Gobabis-Juǀwa ethnic groups reside in the region. Furthermore, it is a rich cultural area for Herero, Damara-Nama, Tswana, Afrikaners, and Germans.^{[citation needed]} According to the 2011 census, 43% of the population speaks Otjiherero, 30% speak Nama/Damara, and 8% speak Afrikaans at home.

Gobabis is the centre of this area and also its main business area, as it is linked with the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, by rail and the tarred B6 national road. This infrastructure serves as the main supply line for the region.

All the other population centres in the region are linked with Gobabis by road. Many other services are rendered from Gobabis to the region, such as the Police Divisional Headquarters, which is situated in Gobabis. Clinics in the region are served by medical practitioners based in Gobabis, and there are two hospitals and a clinic serving the region.