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Communal Conservancies
Namibia’s national parks form part of a vast network of protected areas managed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT). Together, these state‑run parks cover thousands of square kilometres—nearly 20% of the country. But conservation in Namibia goes far beyond government‑managed land. Through communal and freehold conservancies, local communities play a central role in protecting wildlife and managing natural resources. These conservancies, recognised by law, link directly with national parks and tourism concessions, creating one of the most extensive conservation landscapes in the world. In fact, when conservancies are included, almost half of Namibia’s land is under conservation management—making the country a global leader in community‑based conservation.
Iconic Parks
Namibia’s conservation network is home to globally iconic parks—Etosha and the Skeleton Coast are renowned for their wildlife and dramatic landscapes—but the system runs much deeper. It includes game reserves, recreational resorts, transfrontier parks, and tourism concessions, all linked to communal and freehold conservancies. Together, this network places almost half of Namibia’s land under conservation management.
Along the coast, Namibia made history as the first country to protect its entire coastline. Dorob National Park bridges Namib Naukluft and the Skeleton Coast, offering multi-use recreation near Swakopmund and Walvis Bay alongside strict conservation. Offshore zones safeguard marine ecosystems, while the Skeleton Coast itself remains deliberately remote, its fragile environment protected by limited access.
In the northeast, Bwabwata, Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara showcase a different landscape entirely. Bwabwata evolved from game reserve to multi-use park, balancing tourism, regulated hunting and core wildlife areas. Together, these parks form the Mudumu North Complex, seamlessly integrated with neighbouring communal conservancies. The entire landscape sits at the heart of KAZA—the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area—spanning five countries and representing the largest terrestrial transfrontier conservation initiative on Earth.
Recreational Resorts
Namibia’s resorts blend leisure with conservation: • Hot springs at /Ais-/Ais and Gross Barmen • Lakes such as Von Bach and Daan Viljoen
Learn more
Further details on Namibia’s parks, transfrontier areas, and tourism concessions are available from theMinistry of Environment and Tourism（https://www.meft.gov.na/services/conservancies/193/） and the Namibia Tourism Board. Summary information is also provided on this site.
Conservancy listings
Namibia Number of Conservancies Area (square km) Approximate number of people
All regions 86 166,179 244,587
Conservancy listing
Region * Conservancy Date registered Area (square km) Approximate number of people Learn more
//Karas !Gawachab September 2005 132 200 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/gawachab）
//Karas !Han/Awab May 2008 1,923 584 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/han-awab）
//Karas !Khob !Naub July 2003 2,747 2,187 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/khob-naub）
//Karas //Gamaseb July 2003 1,748 1,665 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/gamaseb）
Erongo #Gaingu March 2004 7,731 3,050 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/gaingu）
Erongo Ohungu October 2006 1,196 1,383 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/ohungu）
Erongo Otjimboyo March 2003 448 351 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/otjimboyo）
Erongo Tsiseb January 2001 7,914 2,810 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/tsiseb）
Hardap Huibes October 2009 1,328 750 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/huibes）
Hardap Oskop February 2001 96 88 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/oskop）
Kavango East George Mukoya September 2005 486 1,194 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/george-mukoya）
Kavango East Joseph Mbambangandu March 2004 43 1,873 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/joseph-mbambangandu）
Kavango East Kapinga Kamwalye July 2018 1,269 3,752 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/kapinga-kamwalye）
Kavango East Muduva Nyangana September 2005 615 1,740 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/muduva-nyangana）
Kavango East Shamungwa September 2005 53 140 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/shamungwa）
Kavango West Maurus Nekaro August 2017 1,117 13,328 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/maurus-nekaro）
Kunene !Khoro !Goreb September 2011 1,283 2,254 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/khoro-goreb）
Kunene //Audi October 2006 335 980 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/audi）
Kunene //Huab July 2003 1,817 1,720 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/huab）
Kunene Anabeb July 2003 1,570 1,562 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/anabeb）
Kunene Doro !nawas December 1999 4,135 1,636 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/doro-nawas）
Kunene Ehi-Rovipuka January 2001 1,980 1,346 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/ehi-rovipuka）
Kunene Epupa October 2012 2,912 5,864 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/epupa）
Kunene Etanga March 2013 908 1,963 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/etanga）
Kunene Kunene River October 2006 2,764 8,499 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/kunene-river）
Kunene Marienfluss January 2001 3,036 340 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/marienfluss）
Kunene Okanguati May 2012 1,159 2,421 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/okanguati）
Kunene Okangundumba July 2003 1,131 2,331 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/okangundumba）
Kunene Okatjandja Kozomenje May 2012 656 2,145 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/okatjandja-kozomenje）
Kunene Okondjombo August 2008 1,644 100 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/okondjombo）
Kunene Okongoro February 2012 956 2,230 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/okongoro）
Kunene Omatendeka March 2003 1,619 2,939 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/omatendeka）
Kunene Ombazu May 2012 871 3,828 » Learn more（https://nacso.org.na/communal-conservancies/ombazu）