Rehoboth Gebeit

Former district of Namibia to the south of Windhoek; area 32,168 sq km/12,420 sq mi; the chief town was Rehoboth; population (1991) 21,400. Since regional restructuring in 1992-93 the district has become part of the Windhoek and Hardap regions. The area is occupied by the Basters, a people of mixed European-Nama descent.

Rehoboth Gebiet was traditionally a ‘reserve’ or homeland for the Rehoboth Baster people who had settled in the area in 1879. An agreement was signed with South Africa in 1923 giving administration of the area to a Baster Council. Following the South African Odendaal Commission the district was reduced in size to 14,182 sq km/5,476 sq mi in 1971.