Namibia is the driest country south of the Sahara. Therefore water and wetlands are a critical resource for the people, their production systems and for the environment. Wetlands are Namibia's most rare and threatened ecosystems. There are four wetlands in Namibia that are included in the List of Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention, the Orange River Mouth (shared jointly with South Africa), Sandwich Harbour, Walvis Bay and Etosha Pan.