Editing Transport in Namibia (section)

== Road ==
[[File:Sandstorm_while_driving_from_Swakopmund_to_Walfish_Bay,_2005.jpg|thumb|The [[B2 road (Namibia)|B2]] between [[Walvis Bay]] and [[Swakopmund]]. Windy conditions and the proximity of sand dunes lead to reduced visibility, and sand covering the tarmac]]
[[File:Road near Luderitz in Namibia.jpg|thumb|[[B4 road (Namibia)|B4]] highway near [[Luderitz]]]]
[[File:Road to Sossusvlei 2019.jpg|thumb|Point of view on the D826 road to [[Sossusvlei]].]]
Namibia's road network is regarded as one of the best on the continent; road construction and maintenance adheres to international standards.<ref name="NE">{{cite news
 |url          = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=39848
 |title        = RA needs over N$1 billion
 |last         = Heita
 |first        = Desie
 |date         = 27 July 2011
 |newspaper    = [[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]
 |access-date  = 27 July 2011
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120509214408/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=39848
 |archive-date = 9 May 2012
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> The country's 48,875.27&nbsp;km roads (2017) are administered by the ''Roads Authority'', a state-owned enterprise established by Act 17 of 1999. Due to low traffic volumes the majority of roads are not tarred. The distribution of road surfaces is:<ref name="RA">{{cite news
|title=Get to know Namibia's National Road Network
|date=March 2012
|work=supplement to several Namibian newspapers
|publisher=Namibia Roads Authority}}</ref>
* {{convert|6,664|km}} standard [[bitumen]] road
* {{convert|412|km}} low-volume bitumen road. These roads have the same base layer as gravel roads but are covered with a thin layer of bitumen to reduce maintenance cost and dust formation.
* {{convert|25,710|km}} standard [[gravel]] road, covered with imported gravel.
* {{convert|11,460|km}} earth-graded road. These roads are built by clearing the vegetation and blading the surface. Compaction is achieved by the traffic using the road. Some of these roads are not graded at all but just consist of earth or sand tracks separated by vegetation. These tracks are in use where a daily usage of less than five vehicles is expected. 
* {{convert|288|km}} salt road. These roads consist of concentrated salt water and [[gypsum]]-rich material. They are only built near the Atlantic coast inside the mist belt.

=== Roads by region (2017) ===
{| class="wikitable sortable zebra" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Region
! Bitumen<br /><small>(km)</small>
! Gravel<br /><small>(km)</small>
! Salt<br /><small>(km)</small>
! Earth<br /><small>(km)</small>
! Others<br /><small>(km)</small>
! Total<br /><small>(km)</small>
! Kilometers<br />per 1000&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Erongo]]
| 466.9 
| 1748.3
| 269.9{{0}}
| 1025.7
| 14.2
| '''3524.98'''
| 55.5
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Hardap]]
| 654.7
| 4566.4
| 0,0
| 1358.9
| 0.0
| '''6597.95'''
| 59.9
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Karas Region, Namibia|Karas]]
| 1314.7
| 4989.0
| 5.0
| 1347.9
| 2.1
| '''7658.62'''
| 47.6
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Kavango East]]
| 344.4
| 465.9
| 0.0
| 673.2
| 82.5
| '''1656.95'''
| 64.7
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Kavango West]]
| 428.0
| 218.8
| 0.0
| 629.3
| 24.3
| '''1300.41'''
| 56.0
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Khomas]]
| 361.8
| 1729.0
| 0.0
| 666.2
| 70.9
| '''2827.85'''
| 76.8
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Kunene Region|Kunene]]
| 515.5
| 2644.1
| 25.0
| 1524.5
| 186.6
| '''4895.68'''
| 33.9
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Ohangwena]]
| 359.2
| 316.9
| 0.0
| 350.2
| 303.5
| '''1329.71'''
| 125.4{{0}}
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Omaheke]]
| 445.4
| 2974.1
| 0.0
| 2055.0
| 33.6
| '''5508.09'''
| 73.8
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Omusati]]
| 726.4
| 486.8
| 0.0
| 750.6
| 261.8
| '''2225.58'''
| 163.2
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Oshana]]
| 129.2
| 261.7
| 0.0
| 178.2
| 182.6
| '''751.78'''
| 141.8
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Oshikoto]]
| 513.3
| 934.2
| 0.0
| 328.9
| 12.6
| '''1789.06'''
| 67.3
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Otjozondjupa]]
| 1137.6
| 4454.0
| 0.0
| 1702.6
| 66.1
| '''7360.35'''
| 69.9
|-
|style="text-align:left;"| [[Zambezi Region|Zambezi]]
| 504.7 
| 257.4
| 0.0
| 697.4
| 79.8
| '''1539.26'''
| 78.8
|}

The major highways in Namibia are as follows:
* {{Jct|country=NAM|A|1}} ([[freeway]]) from [[Windhoek]] to [[Okahandja]], {{convert|74|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|1}} in two discontinuous sections, first running {{convert|802|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Noordoewer]] (South African border) to the southern terminus of the A1 in [[Windhoek]], then resuming at the northern terminus of the A1 in [[Okahandja]] and running {{convert|665|km|mi|abbr=on}} to [[Oshikango]] (Angolan border).  Combined, the two sections have a length of {{convert|1467|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|2}} from [[Walvis Bay]] to [[Okahandja]], {{convert|320|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|3}} from [[Ariamsvlei]] (South African border) to [[Grünau, Namibia|Grünau]], {{convert|179|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|4}} from [[Lüderitz]] to [[Keetmanshoop]], {{convert|334|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|6}} from [[Windhoek]] to [[Buitepos]] (Botswana border), {{convert|318|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|8}} from [[Otavi]] via [[Katima Mulilo]] to [[Ngoma, Namibia|Ngoma]] (Botswana border), {{convert|929|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|10}} from the [[Ohangwena Region]] to [[Rundu]], {{convert|439|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|11}} from [[Nkurenkuru]] to [[Katwitwi]] (Angolan border), {{convert|14|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|14}} from [[Grootfontein]] to [[Gobabis]], {{convert|389|km|mi|abbr=on}}.
* {{Jct|country=NAM|B|15}} from [[Tsumeb]] to [[Mpungu]], {{convert|133|km|mi|abbr=on}}.

===Road accidents===
In 2018, there were about 393,062 cars registered in Namibia (169,911 in the capital Windhoek).<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.mvafund.com.na/index.php/shortcode/accordion/tab?download=116:road-crash-and-claims-report-2018| title = ''Crash and Claims Reports 2018.'' Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, 2018, p. 46.}}</ref> Namibia has a relatively high prevalence of road accidents, compared to its sparse population. In 2011, 491 people died in 2,846 crashes.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=91709&no_cache=1
|title=Road accidents claim 60 lives
|last=Smith
|first=Jana-Mari
|date=3 January 2012
|work=[[The Namibian]]}}</ref> Causes are often speeding and reckless driving, as well as general non-observance of traffic rules.<ref>{{cite news
 |url          = http://www.economist.com.na/general-news/22-general-news-2011/319-road-accidents-claim-more-lives
 |title        = Road accidents claim more lives
 |last         = Khobetsi
 |first        = Lorato
 |year         = 2011
 |work         = [[Namibia Economist]]
 |access-date   = 27 November 2012
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20151017170615/http://www.economist.com.na/general-news/22-general-news-2011/319-road-accidents-claim-more-lives
 |archive-date = 17 October 2015
 |url-status     = dead
 |df           = dmy-all
}}</ref> Stray animals are also a major cause of accidents, particularly in the [[Kavango Region]].<ref>{{cite news
 |url          = http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=41884&title=Gang%20attacks%20herders
 |title        = Stray animals major cause of accidents
 |last         = Matali
 |first        = Mutonga
 |work         = [[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]
 |access-date   = 27 November 2012
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120527150857/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=41884&title=Gang%20attacks%20herders
 |archive-date = 2012-05-27
 |url-status     = dead
}}</ref>