Arandis, Namibia
| Arandis | |
|---|---|
 Arandis
|
|
| Coordinates: 22°25′S 14°58′E / 22.417°S 14.967°E | |
| Country |
 Namibia
|
| Region | Erongo Region |
| Constituency | Arandis Constituency |
| Established | 1978 |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 5,214 |
| Climate | BWh |
Arandis, Namibia is a town in Erongo Region, Namibia. It has been called the Uranium Capital of the World as it is located just 15 km outside the world's largest open-pit uranium mine, the Rössing Uranium Mine.
Established for the workers of Rössing Uranium in 1978, Arandis was granted self–administration and "town" status in 1994. Currently[update] it has 7,600 inhabitants, most of whom are somehow connected to the mine, and owns 29 square kilometres (11 sq mi) of land.
It is the home of the Namibian Institute of Mining and Technology, a technical institute focusing on training skilled industrial workers.
The 2000s saw a resurgence in economic growth in Arandis. With the global energy crisis, a significant rise in demand occurred for nuclear energy, increasing demand for Arandis' Uranium. Banks, which had previously closed and youth who had previously left the town seeking employment elsewhere, returned. In 2008, negotiations were at an advanced stage for a Chinese company, Namibia Industrial Mining Limited to build a factory for making building materials in Arandis.
After an investment conference was held in 2011, investors have decided to erect a shopping mall in town. Construction of the mall started soon afterwards, the anticipated completion date is May 2013.
Arandis Railway Station is a crossing loop on the Trans-Namib Railway between Swakopmund and Usakos. Arandis Airport is also nearby.
Arandis is governed by a town council that currently[update] has seven seats.
In the 2010 local authority elections SWAPO won the town council with 664 votes. The United Democratic Front (UDF) finished in 2nd place with 243 votes while the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) received 72 votes.
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