Luederitz, Southern Namibia

The bay of Luederitz was discovered in 1488 by the Portuguese seafarer Bartholomeu Diaz. He called it Angra Pequeña. Centuries later, in 1883, Adolf Lüderitz, a merchant from Bremen, acquired the bay from the Nama-chief Joseph Fredericks from Bethanie.

Namibia is one of the most arid regions in Africa. The extensive sand dunes of the Namib desert, bare of any vegetation and up to 300 kilometres wide, run along the whole length of the coast. To the east of this coastal dune belt, a mountain range, strongly fissured and with sparse plantlife, rises up to 2000 metres and more. Further east, the mountain chain gradually becomes a vast plateau. Here, the landscape is characterized by endless 'thornvelds' and open bushland.

Luederitz with its 8000 inhabitants is a sleepy and quiet place. The founding town of Namibia at the border of the Namib desert was built on naked granite rock.