Editing Karibib

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
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<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name          =Karibib
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|settlement_type        = [[List of cities and towns in Namibia|Town]]
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|subdivision_type1      = [[Regions of Namibia|Region]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Erongo Region]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Constituencies of Namibia|Constituency]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Karibib Constituency]]
|subdivision_type3      =
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<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes   =
|government_type        =
|leader_title           = Mayor
|leader_name            = Dawid Iipinge<ref name=mayor>{{cite news
|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=7078&page_type=story_detail&category_id=1
|title=Four towns re-elect mayors
|date=9 December 2013
|work=[[The Namibian]]
|publisher=[[NAMPA]]
|access-date=9 December 2013
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211195931/http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?id=7078&page_type=story_detail&category_id=1
|archive-date=11 December 2013
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
|leader_title1          =  <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
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|established_title      =  Founded
|established_date       = 1900
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<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of               = 2023
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|population_total               = 8,434
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<!-- General information  --------------->
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[[File:Karibib Christuskirche 1963-11-02.jpg|thumb|Christ Church, erected 1909/10]]
'''Karibib''' ({{langx|hz|Otjandjomboimwe}}) is a town in the [[Erongo Region]] of western [[Namibia]]. It has 8,434 inhabitants. Karibib is the district capital of the [[Karibib Constituency|Karibib electoral constituency]]. It is situated on the [[Khan River]], halfway between [[Windhoek]] and [[Swakopmund]] on the [[B2 road (Namibia)|B2]] (Trans-Kalahari Highway), the main road between [[Walvis Bay]] and [[Johannesburg]]. The town is known for its [[aragonite]] [[marble]] [[quarry|quarries]] and the [[Navachab Gold Mine]].

==Geography==
Karibib comprises {{Convert|97|km2|sqmi}} of town land.<ref name=el2010>{{cite news
 |title=ELECTIONS 2010: Erongo regional profile 
 |publisher=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]] 
 |url=http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=14109 
 |date=16 November 2010 
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906113042/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=14109 
 |archive-date=6 September 2012 
 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref>

{{Historical populations|2001|3,726|2011|5,132|2023|8,434|percentages=pagr|align=none|footnote=Sources:<ref name=nsa2011>{{cite web | title=4.2.2 Urban population by Census years (2001 and 2011) | url=http://cms.my.na/assets/documents/p19dmn58guram30ttun89rdrp1.pdf | work=Namibia 2011 - Population and Housing Census Main Report | publisher=[[Namibia Statistics Agency]] | access-date=1 November 2024 | page=39}}</ref><ref name=nsa2023>{{cite web | title=4.5 Population by town and census years (2011 and 2023) | url=https://nsa.org.na/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf | work=Namibia 2023 - Population and Housing Census. Main Report | publisher=[[Namibia Statistics Agency]] | access-date=1 November 2024 | pages=33–34}}</ref>}}

== Economy and Infrastructure ==
[[File:Marmor Karibib.jpg|thumb|Marble quarry Karibib (2017)<br/>{{Coord|21|51|37|S|015|57|17|E|display=inline}}]]
The Navachab Gold Mine owned by QKR Namibia is located 10&nbsp;km from Karibib town. The mine is the major tax payer, employer and property owner of the town, providing more than 750 jobs and owning 240 residential properties.<ref name=evolution>{{cite news | title=Evolution of Namibia's mining towns | last=Hartman | first=Adam | date=May 2019 | newspaper=Mining Journal supplement to [[The Namibian]] | pages=26–33}}</ref> In 2008, proposals surfaced for a new [[Cement in Africa|cement works]].<ref>{{cite news | title=Cement factory to be opened at Karibib | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | publisher=[[NAMPA]] | date=16 July 2008 | url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=44311}}</ref>

Karibib is home to the [[Usab Stadium]].<ref>[http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=61237&no_cache=1 Arrows, United Stars match postponed] The Namibian, 30 October 2009</ref> and there is a golf course at the Klippenberg Country Club.

=== Transport ===
Karibib is situated on the [[B2 road (Namibia)|B2 national road]] ([[Walvis Bay]]–[[Okahandja]]) close to the branch-off of the [[C33 road (Namibia)|C33]] to [[Otjiwarongo]]. About 1,000 trucks per day pass the town.<ref name=evolution/>

Karibib is connected to the [[TransNamib]] railway network; [[Karibib Railway Station]] is situated downtown. The next station to the west is [[Kranzberg Railway Station|Kranzberg]], the junction for the branch railways to [[Tsumeb]] and [[Grootfontein]] from the line to the capital [[Windhoek]].

North of the town is the location of the headquarters of the [[Namibian Air Force]] at the [[Karibib Air Base]], housing the Command of the Air Force. The air base has a {{Convert|2600|m}} asphalt runway, parallel paved taxiways and apron. The history of Karibib Airport goes back to pre-independence when it was used by the South African Air Force.<ref>{{cite news
|last=Hartman
|first=Adam
|title=NDF airforce base shrouded in secrecy
|newspaper=[[The Namibian]]
|date=24 November 2009
|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=60291}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Karibib ende 19 jahrhundert.jpg|thumbnail|left|Karibib, ''Pontok'' – traditional house, at the end of the 19th century]]
[[File:Karibib stamp 1900.jpg|thumbnail|left|180px|Stamps for German South West Africa postmarked ''Karibib 1900'']]
Originally Karibib was a waterhole known to the [[Herero people|Herero]] under the name ''Otjandjomboimwe''.<ref>{{cite news | title=Windhoek?! Rather make that Otjomuise | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/16007/archive-read/Windhoek-Rather-make-that-Otjomuise | last=Menges | first=Werner | newspaper=[[The Namibian]] | date=12 May 2005 | archive-date=13 August 2021 | access-date=13 August 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813191207/https://www.namibian.com.na/16007/archive-read/Windhoek-Rather-make-that-Otjomuise | url-status=dead }}</ref> Expecting business opportunities arising from the railway construction between Swakopmund and Windhoek, Eduard Hälbich, merchant at [[Otjimbingwe]], bought the waterhole and 20,000 hectares of land surrounding it from Herero headman [[Zacharias Zeraua]]. The deal was finalised on 7 January 1895, the purchase price was 22,500 [[German gold mark|marks (ℳ)]], two ox wagons, and 742 pounds 5 shillings that Zeraua had incurred in debts in Hälbich's shop in Otjimbingwe.<ref name=Karibib>{{cite web
 |title       = Karibib
 |last        = Henckert
 |first       = Wolfgang
 |publisher   = Henckert Tourist Centre
 |date        = 16 March 2006
 |url         = http://www.henckert.com/karibib/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6%3Akaribib&catid=1%3Ahistory&Itemid=7&lang=en
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110711162341/http://www.henckert.com/karibib/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6%3Akaribib&catid=1%3Ahistory&Itemid=7&lang=en
 |archive-date = 11 July 2011
}}</ref>

Karibib began to grow quickly when on 30 May 1900 the railway construction reached the newly founded place. 1 June 1900 marks the day of the official foundation of Karibib at the occasion of the first train arriving from Swakopmund.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.klausdierks.com/Chronology/57.htm
|last=Dierks
|first=Klaus
|author-link=Klaus Dierks
|title=Chronology of Namibian History, 1900
|access-date=17 November 2010}}</ref> The railway station was built, a medical practice, storage facilities, a prison, and living quarters were erected, and the population rose to 274. This development disadvantaged the settlement of Otjimbingwe; ox wagons that before would travel via Otjimbingwe on the [[Alter Baiweg]] (''Old bay path'') would now take the route through Karibib.<ref name=Karibib/>

In 1904 the place once again became important as a railway hub for ferrying troops in the [[Herero and Namaqua Genocide|Herero and Namaqua War]]. Its status was upgraded to that of a county, and governance was extended to include [[Omaruru, Namibia|Omaruru]]. At the end of the war in 1907, Karibib counted 316 white residents, and the remaining Herero land was expropriated and offered to white farmers. Karibib was declared a municipality in 1909, and Eduard Hälbich was its mayor.<ref name=Karibib/>

===Historic Buildings===
[[File:Roesemann-haus karibib namibia 2012.jpg|thumbnail|Roesemann Building (1900), one of Karibib's first structures]]
One of Karibib's oldest buildings is the Roesemannhaus / ''Roesemann's house'', erected in 1900 shortly after the town was founded. Other historic structures are the Wollhaus / ''Wool house (''1900) erected from local marble, the [[Karibib Railway Station|Railway station]] building (1901), the Kaiserbrunnen / ''Emperor fountain (1''906-1908) and the Christ Church (1910).<ref>{{cite news
|title=Karibib-Eine Bahnlinie verändert das Land
|trans-title=Karibib-A Railway Line Changes the Country
|language=de
|last=von Schmettau
|first=Konny
|date=28 February 2013
|work=[[Allgemeine Zeitung (Namibia)|Allgemeine Zeitung]]
|publisher=Tourismus Namibia monthly supplement
|page=9}}</ref>

==Politics==
Karibib was downgraded from municipal to town status in 2010.<ref>{{cite news
 |last=Hartman 
 |first=Adam 
 |title=Town regrading a 'sad move' 
 |newspaper=[[The Namibian]] 
 |date=27 August 2010 
 |url=http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2010/august/article/town-regrading-a-sad-move/ 
 |url-status=dead 
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317023725/http://www.namibian.com.na/news-articles/national/full-story/archive/2010/august/article/town-regrading-a-sad-move/ 
 |archive-date=17 March 2012 
}}</ref> It is {{As of|November 2015|alt=now}} governed by a town council that has seven seats.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Know Your Local Authority | publisher=Institute for Public Policy Research | newspaper=Election Watch | year = 2015 | issue=3 | page=4}}</ref>

In the [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2010|2010 local authority election]] in Karibib, a total of 990 votes were cast. [[SWAPO]] won with approximately 60% of the vote. Of the three other parties seeking votes in the election, [[United Democratic Front (Namibia)|United Democratic Front]] (UDF) received approximately 31% of the vote, followed by [[Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)|RDP]] (9%) and the [[Congress of Democrats]], which, despite being on the ballot, did not receive a vote.<ref>[http://www.ecn.na/results/2010/Press_Release_Local_Authority_-_Karibib.pdf Local Authority Election Results for Karibib] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717180652/http://www.ecn.na/results/2010/Press_Release_Local_Authority_-_Karibib.pdf |date=17 July 2011 }}</ref> SWAPO also won the [[Namibian local and regional elections, 2015|2015 local authority elections]], gaining 4 seats (653 votes). 2 seats went to the UDF (223 votes), and the remaining seat was won by the local [[Karibib Residents Association]] (KRA) that gained 128 votes.<ref>{{cite web | title=Local elections results | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | page=1 | url=http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151210194328/http://www.ecn.na/documents/27857/218731/LA+results+%28press+release%29+2015.pdf/870a030b-8547-487f-ad18-b22713b16d4c?version=1.0 | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 December 2015 | date=28 November 2015 }}</ref>

In the [[2020 Namibian local and regional elections|2020 local authority election]] SWAPO won again by a large margin but lost the majority of seats in the town council. SWAPO obtained 461 votes and gained three seats. One seat each went to the UDF (175 votes), the [[Independent Patriots for Change]] (IPC, newly formed in August 2020, 94 votes), the [[Landless People's Movement (Namibia)|Landless People's Movement]] (LPM, registered in 2018, 80 votes) and the KRA (68 votes).<ref>{{Cite web | title=2020 Local Authority Elections Results and Allocation of Seats | page=5 | date=29 November 2020 | publisher=[[Electoral Commission of Namibia]] | url=https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Media-Release-on-LA-Results_2020.pdf | access-date=5 December 2020 | archive-date=24 January 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124162938/https://www.ecn.na/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Media-Release-on-LA-Results_2020.pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Education==
Schooling in Karibib started as a private missionary enterprise in 1902. From 1907 the Deutsche Schule Karibib ({{langx|de|German School Karibib}}, also: [[Privatschule Karibib]]) operated in town, first as a government school of Imperial Germany, and after [[World War I]] as private school supported by German government. In 1965 it had 13 teachers and 53 learners.<ref>"[http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/btd/04/036/0403672.pdf Deutscher Bundestag 4. Wahlperiode Drucksache IV/3672]" ([https://web.archive.org/web/20160312191648/http://dipbt.bundestag.de/doc/btd/04/036/0403672.pdf Archive]). [[Bundestag]] (West Germany). 23 June 1965. Retrieved on 12 March 2016. p. 31.</ref> When competition from other German schools eroded its pupil base, the school closed down in 1986. The campus is currently leased to the similarly named but unrelated [[Karibib Private School]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.projekt-lilie.com/lilie_02de.htm
|title=Privatschule Karibib: Die Schule, die eine Stadt begründete
|trans-title=Karibib Privatschule: the school that formed a town
|publisher=Henckert Online (via Projekt Lilie)
|language=de
|access-date=19 March 2012
|archive-date=15 July 2011
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715122508/http://www.projekt-lilie.com/lilie_02de.htm
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

Karibib is also home to Karibib Junior Secondary School and Ebenhaeser Primary School, situated in the [[Usab]] Location. Karibib Junior Secondary School emerged from Ebenhaeser Primary School when the latter started offering classes beyond grade 7. The [[Navachab gold mine]] in Karibib has played a major role in developing the school. Karibib Junior Secondary School is situated in town and offers grade 8 to Grade 10.<ref>{{cite news
 |title=Karibib Cluster Marks Children's Day 
 |date=24 June 2008 
 |newspaper=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]] 
 |last=Irene 
 |first=!Hoaes 
 |url=http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?db=oldarchive&articleid=21538 
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130221092824/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?db=oldarchive&articleid=21538
 |archive-date=21 February 2013 
 |url-status=dead 
}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in the Erongo Region]]
[[Category:Towns in Namibia]]
[[Category:1900 establishments in German South West Africa]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1900]]