Due to the climatic differences within the country, Namibia has a broad variety of plant species from desert and semi-desert vegetation to evergreen subtropical plants.
About 70% of Namibia is savannah. In Central Namibia, thornbush-savannah is dominant with extensive grasslands and acacia bush. Sporadically you see trees, mainly camel-thorn trees and other kinds of acacia which often grow near dry riverbeds.
East of the Skeleton Coast, the Welwitschia is another desert-adapted
species that absorbs dew and precipitation from fog over specially
developed structures on their leaves. It grows flat on the ground and
has only two leaves from its thick trunk. The leaves continue to grow
throughout the long life of the plant. It is hard to determine the age
of these plants, but it is believed that they live up to 1,500 years or
more.
Towards the north-east, where there is a higher rainfall, the thornbush savannah slowly turns into Mopane savannah and there is a greater number of trees. In the relatively humid Caprivi the dominant vegetation form is the woodland savannah, interspersed with single baobabs, wild figs and makalani palms.
Not much grass grows in the arid south of Namibia. Trees are also scarce. Succulents - water-storing plants - can be seen frequently in this region. Most impressive is the Kokerboom or Quivertree, endemic to Namibia and Namaqualand. It can reach a height of 9 metres and is frequently found in the area around Keetmanshoop and in the Tiras Mountains.
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