Swakopmund, Namibia
Situated on the Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund is 352 km west of the Namibian capital city of Windhoek.
Originally a Port utilized by German Colonists, Swakopmund is now a dynamic African Tourist destination.
Swakopmund was founded in 1892 by German settlers, and the name is German for Mouth of the Swakop (River).
Surrounded by the Namib Desert, and facing the cold Atlantic Ocean, Swakopmund has a distinct climate and an even more unique history.
Today it is Namibia's fourth largest city, and one of the biggest tourism draws in the country. It is also the capital of the Erongo Administrative District.
Swakopmund Statistics
Numbers speak for themselves
44,725
Population
196
Size of city in square km
1892
Year Founded
Sand dunes surround Swakopmund; throw in Fog and surreal Landscapes and you have the ingredients for a place like none other on earth.
Lights, Camera, Action...
Fans of Mad Max: Fury Road are already familiar with the area around Swakopmund, as it was the filming location for the film. Other TV shows and movies have set up location in the city, including the Amazing Race 2, the AMC series The Prisoner and MTV's The Challenge: War of the Worlds.
Sands of the Namib
Swakopmund is surrounded on three sides by the Namib Desert, giving it a unique character forged by the sand dunes and surreal landscapes around it. The word Namib means "vast place" in the local Nama language, and the name is very apt. Sand dunes characterize this coastal desert, which is often shrouded in fog due to the collision of the cold Atlantic Benguela Current and warm tropical air.