Gibeon (Namibia)
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Gibeon Khaxa-tsûs |
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|---|---|
 Gibeon
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| Coordinates: 25°07′28″S 17°45′58″E / 25.12444°S 17.76611°ECoordinates: 25°07′28″S 17°45′58″E / 25.12444°S 17.76611°E | |
| Country |
 Namibia
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| Region | Hardap Region |
| Constituency | Gibeon Constituency |
| Founded by | Kido Witbooi |
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+1) |
| Climate | BWh |
Gibeon (Nama: Khaxa-tsûs) is a village in Gibeon Constituency in the Hardap Region of Namibia.
Gibeon, originally known by the name Khaxa-tsûs, received its name from Kido Witbooi, first Kaptein of the ǀKhowesin, a subtribe of the Orlam. He arrived with his followers in about 1850, shortly after a Rhenish mission station was established here. Gibeon has been the home town of this group, subsequently also known as the Witbooi Nama, ever since.
Gibeon Railway Station is located in the village. The station is a stop on the TransNamib Railway. It is also home to a public sports stadium. The stadium was built in 1986 and fell into disrepair by 1993. In 2003, the Ministry of Sport of Namibia budgeted N$ 450,000 for repairs and awarded part of the public tender to Namibia Renovations, but the company disappeared days after winning the tender and their whereabouts could not be confirmed. As of December 2007, none of the repairs been completed. When the stadium was operational, it was known for its "excellent" gravel playing surface, which attracted teams from larger towns in southern Namibia.
Gibeon normally receives an annual average rainfall of 148 millimetres (5.8 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season 494 millimetres (19.4 in) were measured.
Gibeon is known for the Gibeon meteorite that crashed over a 275 km long and 100 km wide area in prehistoric times. It is an iron meteorite belonging to the chemical group IVA Gibeon meteorites are made of an iron-nickel alloy, but contain also cobalt and phosphorus. The crystalline structure of this meteorite is a classic example of fine octahedrite and the Widmanstätten pattern aesthetically appreciated both by collectors and jewel designers.
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