Fourteen species of Chalcidoidea from the central Namib desert are dealt with. Eight of these are described as new; seven in the family Encyrtidae and one in the Eupelmidae. Six previously described species are recorded, four of which belong to the Encyrtidae and two to the Aphelinidae. Keywords: Namibia, Namib Desert, Gobabeb, Kuiseb River, desert biology, desert ecology, insect community, insect behaviour, entomology, faunal composition, desert fauna.