Oshakati

Oshakati forms a continuous urban area with neighbouring Ongwediva, linked by a main road and development on higher ground between the seasonal drainage channels known as iishana. Established as a regional administrative centre in the 1960s, it also grew as a military base. These origins and its road connections explain its position within northern Namibia's settlement network.

The low-lying landscape remains central to housing and infrastructure. Flood-prone residential areas have required relocation, including moves from Oshoopala to higher ground at Onawa. Planning new neighbourhoods must therefore account for drainage and seasonal inundation alongside access to services. Oshakati's urban form is inseparable from this combination of connected development and the water movement across the surrounding plain.