Karibib - City of Namibia

Karibib is a constituency in the Erongo Region of western Namibia . It lies on the Trans-Namib Railway, the Khan River and the B2 road. It is known for its aragonite marble quarries.

The town of Karibib is situated on the main road between Windhoek and Swakopmund and is best known for its gold mine. The earliest settlers in the Karibib district were missionary Johannes Rath and his family, who arrived in Otjimbingwe on 11 July 1849. Six years later, in 1855, rich copper deposits were found in the Khomas Highlands, and the Walwich Bay Mining Company was founded in Cape Town, with its offices in Otjimbingwe, to exploit the deposits at the Matchless Mine, which then were transported from Otjimbingwe to the port at Walvis Bay. By 1860, the copper deposits were yielding too little for further mining activities, and subsequently the mine closed down and sold its buildings in Otjimbingwe to Charles Andersson for £1500.

Originally, Karibib was nothing but an unknown waterhole belonging to the Hereros. The waterhole and the surrounding 200 square kilometres was later sold by treaty by the Herero headman of Otjimbingwe to Mr Eduard Hälbich of Otjimbingwe. In addition to the settlement of debt, Zeraua received two ox-wagons with 36 oxen and some other compensation in consumable and clothing.

In 1902, the railway was continued from Karibib towards Windhoek, and as the mammoth of the railway building process and all the workers moved toward Windhoek, business slowed down in Karibib. Two factors had a detrimental effect on the flourishing of Karibib before 1904. For one, large areas of the Karibib district were in the hands of the Deutsche Kolonial-Gesellschaft, who was not eager to let got of their vested interests easily. Secondly, Karibib was in the traditional area of the West-Hereros, who were equally not very keen on selling land to settlers and traders.