Region in S Namibia and W South Africa; comprises Little Namaqualand, extending S from the Orange R, chief town Springbok, and Great Namaqualand, extending N from the Orange R, chief town Keetmanshoop; European presence since 1665; indigenous peoples known as Namaquas or Nama; diamond mines.
Namaqualand (Afrikaans: Namakwaland) is an arid region of south-western Africa, extending along the west coast over 600 miles and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north. Little Namaqualand forms part of Northern Cape Province, South Africa, and Great Namaqualand is in the Kara region of Namibia.
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