Namibia. Outlooks, Environment, Governance, Economy, People, Culture, Ethnic tolerant. From 1945 the economy of South West Africa grew rapidly, reaching a peak of more than one thousand per capita (twenty, 000 for Europeans and one hundred and fifty for black Namibians) in the late 1ninteen seventies. The pillars were base metal expansion at better prices and sharply increased output and prices for cattle (largely in South Africa), karakul (via South Africa to the European-North American fur market), and diamonds. Fourfold growth in world demand after World War II led to increases in output at De Beers' diamond mines