GERMAN SOUTHWEST AFRICA, the first of the German successful attempts at colonization, situated, as its name implies, on the southwest coast of Africa. To the west of it lies the Atlantic Ocean; to the north, Angola (Portuguese West Africa); to the east and south, British South Africa. The whole territory comprises about 322,000 square miles and has a coast line a little less than 1,000 miles. Almost in the centre of this coast line is the British territory and port of Walfish Bay cost prising an•area of about 430 square miles. Po litically this territory forms a part of Cape Colony.
Topography.— German Southwest Africa is divided naturally into three parts; a long sandy strip about 10 miles wide skirting the Atlantic Coast; an equally barren steppe of about 50 miles wide behind this coastal region; the eastern slope toward the British territory. The central steppe extends into a mountain range from 3,000 to 8,000 feet in height, the higher part of the range being known as the Ornatalco Mountains. The eastern section merges into the Kalahari desert. Throughout the whole territory there are many rivers and streams; but owing to the prevalence of the southeast trade winds, which blow for the most part overland, they become dry almost alto gether for a considerable part of the year, the Orange, Kubango and Cunene alone maintain ing currents • of water throughout all seasons. It naturally, follows, therefore, that the territory is, in general, very dry. There is a short modi fied rainy season on the uplands, when the streams are filled by intermittent thunder storms. This is the season of the most activity.
Agriculture and Most of the activities of German Southwest Africa are given over to stock raising. In the last normal year (1913) before the, outbreak of the Euro pean War, the stock raised on the colony is given as follows: Sheep, 543,347; goats, 516,904; cattle, 205,643; horses, 15,916; mules and asses, 13,618; karakul, 11,194; swine, 7,772; camels, 709. This estimate of production includes that of the white and native population alike; but as the country is large, exceedingly rough in parts and difficult of communication, it is probable that a very considerable part of the native production went unrecorded, being used as food or exported secretly into Portuguese or British territory.
Though German Southwest Africa possesses promising mining regions; and the valleys of the rivers of the uplands are often capable of producing many European products, little has been done in the way of development. This is due, in part at least, to the small white popu lation which, on the outbreak of the European War was about 15,000, most of whom were Germans, out of a population of about 100,000. The few of these not engaged in stock raising, occupied administrative positions principally m trade and commerce. Less than 30,000 tons of copper were exported in 1913. The previous year 766,465 carats of diamonds were mined in the Liideritzbucht region.
The commerce of the territory is very small compared with its extent and population. The exports, which consist principally of cattle, hides, ostrich feathers, copper ores, diamonds, skins and guano, range from $6,000,000 to $9,000,000 a year; while the imports amount to about $8,000,000 in normal times. These im ports consist principally of food stuffs, textiles, beer, tobacco and iron in various forms. Naturally, before the beginning of the Euro pean War, most of the foreign trade through the seaports was with Germany.
Transportation, considering the extent of the territory, is very poorly developed, though perhaps nearly as much so as that of East Africa. One long highway stretches through out the length of the colony from north to south, connecting the interior with the coast, and also with some interior points. Over 1,300 miles of railway give the colony better railway facilities than either of the other German African territories possess. The Otava Rail way is 417 miles in length; the Swakopmund Windhoek, 237; the Northern, 314; the South ern, 339. Internal telegraph lines connect with the railway telegraph lines and with the Cape and Mossamedes cable by way of Swakopmund. While there are numerous harbors on the At lantic coast, there are only three of any com mercial importance. These are Angra Pequena, Swakopmund and Walfish Bay (British). Of these the second is of most importance form ing as it does, the outlet for Swakop Valley and the highlands beyond it. This harbor too, before the outbreak of the European War, was connected by a line of steamers with Ham burg.