Various ethnic groups occupied southwestern Africa prior to Germany establishing a colony over most of the territory in 1884. South Africa occupied the colony, then known as German South West Africa, in 1915 during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966, the Marxist South-West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia gained independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since, though the party has dropped much of its Marxist ideology. President Hage GEINGOB was elected in 2014 in a landslide victory, replacing Hifikepunye POHAMBA who stepped down after serving two terms. SWAPO retained its parliamentary super majority in the 2014 elections. In 2019 elections, GEINGOB was reelected but by a substantially reduced majority and SWAPO narrowly lost its super majority in parliament.
land: 823,290 sq km
water: 1,002 sq km
border countries (4): Angola 1,427 km; Botswana 1,544 km; South Africa 1,005 km; Zambia 244 km
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 1,141 m
arable land: 1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 46.2% (2018 est.)
forest: 8.8% (2018 est.)
other: 44% (2018 est.)
2,777,232 (2023 est.)
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian
Ovambo 50%, Kavangos 9%, Herero 7%, Damara 7%, mixed European and African ancestry 6.5%, European 6%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, San 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%
Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4% (also a common language), Herero languages 9.2%, Zambezi languages 4.9%, English (official) 2.3%, other African languages 1.5%, other European languages 0.7%, other 1% (2016 est.)
note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages
Christian 97.5%, other 0.6% (includes Muslim, Baha’i, Jewish, Buddhist), unaffiliated 1.9% (2020 est.)
Planning officials view Namibia’s reduced population growth rate as sustainable based on the country’s economic growth over the past decade. Prior to independence in 1990, Namibia’s relatively small population grew at about 3% annually, but declining fertility and the impact of HIV/AIDS slowed this growth to 1.4% by 2011, rebounding to close to 2% by 2016. Namibia’s fertility rate has fallen over the last two decades – from about 4.5 children per woman in 1996 to 3.4 in 2016 and to 3 in 2022 – due to increased contraceptive use, higher educational attainment among women, and greater female participation in the labor force. The average age at first birth has stayed fairly constant, but the age at first marriage continues to increase, indicating a rising incidence of premarital childbearing.The majority of Namibians are rural dwellers (about 55%) and live in the better-watered north and northeast parts of the country. Migration, historically male-dominated, generally flows from northern communal areas – non-agricultural lands where blacks were sequestered under the apartheid system – to agricultural, mining, and manufacturing centers in the center and south. After independence from South Africa, restrictions on internal movement eased, and rural-urban migration increased, bolstering urban growth.Some Namibians – usually persons who are better-educated, more affluent, and from urban areas – continue to legally migrate to South Africa temporarily to visit family and friends and, much less frequently, to pursue tertiary education or better economic opportunities. Namibians concentrated along the country’s other borders make unauthorized visits to Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, or Botswana, to visit family and to trade agricultural goods. Few Namibians express interest in permanently settling in other countries; they prefer the safety of their homeland, have a strong national identity, and enjoy a well-supplied retail sector. Although Namibia is receptive to foreign investment and cross-border trade, intolerance toward non-citizens is widespread.
0-14 years: 34.38% (male 482,432/female 472,474)
15-64 years: 61.68% (male 834,001/female 878,865)
65 years and over: 3.94% (2023 est.) (male 46,235/female 63,225)
total dependency ratio: 67.3
youth dependency ratio: 60.6
elderly dependency ratio: 6.7
potential support ratio: 14.8 (2021 est.)
total: 22.5 years (2023 est.)
male: 21.8 years
female: 23.2 years
1.66% (2023 est.)
24.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
population density is very low, with the largest clustering found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola as shown in this
urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
21.6 years (2013 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
215 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
total: 28.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 31.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 25.5 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 63.7 years (2023 est.)
male: 62.1 years
female: 65.4 years
2.94 children born/woman (2023 est.)
1.45 (2023 est.)
56.1% (2013)
improved: urban: 98.9% of population
rural: 83.2% of population
total: 91.4% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.1% of population
rural: 16.8% of population
total: 8.6% of population (2020 est.)
8.9% of GDP (2020)
0.59 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
2.7 beds/1,000 population
improved: urban: 70.6% of population
rural: 23.6% of population
total: 48.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 29.4% of population
rural: 76.4% of population
total: 51.9% of population (2020 est.)
degree of risk: high (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
17.2% (2016)
total: 2.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total: 15.1% (2020 est.)
male: 24.2% (2020 est.)
female: 6% (2020 est.)
13.2% (2013)
33.3% (2023 est.)
9.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.3%
male: 90.6%
female: 92.3% (2021)
depletion and degradation of water and aquatic resources; desertification; land degradation; loss of biodiversity and biotic resources; wildlife poaching
party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
agricultural land: 47.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 46.2% (2018 est.)
forest: 8.8% (2018 est.)
other: 44% (2018 est.)
urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
severe localized food insecurity: due to localized shortfalls in cereal production and rising food prices - cereal production increased in 2022 and this is expected to have a positive impact on food security, however, rising prices of basic foods is likely to limit a more substantial improvement (2022)
0.47% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 11.81 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 4.23 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 10.4 megatons (2020 est.)
municipal solid waste generated annually: 256,729 tons (1993 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 11,553 tons (2005 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 4.5% (2005 est.)
Zambezi (shared with Zambia [s]), Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) - 2,740 km; Orange river mouth (shared with Lesotho [s], and South Africa) - 2,092 km; Okavango (shared with Angola [s], and Botswana [m]) - 1,600 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Okavango Basin (863,866 sq km)
Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
municipal: 70 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 201 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
39.91 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
upper middle-income, export-driven Sub-Saharan economy; natural resource rich; Walvis Bay port expansion for trade; high potential for renewable power generation and energy independence; major nature-based tourist locale; natural resource rich; shortage of skilled labor
$23.12 billion (2021 est.)
$22.522 billion (2020 est.)
$24.49 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
2.66% (2021 est.)
-8.04% (2020 est.)
-0.84% (2019 est.)
$9,100 (2021 est.)
$9,000 (2020 est.)
$10,000 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
$12.372 billion (2019 est.)
3.62% (2021 est.)
2.21% (2020 est.)
3.72% (2019 est.)
Fitch rating: BB (2019)
Moody’s rating: Ba3 (2020)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
agriculture: 6.7% (2016 est.)
industry: 26.3% (2016 est.)
services: 67% (2017 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 68.7% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 24.5% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 16% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 1.6% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 36.7% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -47.5% (2017 est.)
beef, milk, grapes, millet, maize, mutton, pork, chickens, goats, wheat
mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture
1.44% (2021 est.)
939,000 (2021 est.)
21.68% (2021 est.)
21.45% (2020 est.)
19.99% (2019 est.)
total: 40.4% (2021 est.)
male: 39.4%
female: 41.7%
17.4% (2015 est.)
59.1 (2015 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 42% (2010)
revenues: $4.004 billion (2019 est.)
expenditures: $4.693 billion (2019 est.)
-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
4.64% of GDP (2019 est.)
5.49% of GDP (2018 est.)
5.44% of GDP (2017 est.)
31.17% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
1 April - 31 March
-$1.21 billion (2021 est.)
$270.277 million (2020 est.)
-$222.969 million (2019 est.)
$3.955 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$3.565 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$4.581 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
China 29%, South Africa 20%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 6%, Zambia 4% (2020)
diamonds, uranium, copper, gold, fish products, aircraft, ships (2021)
$6.055 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$4.614 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$5.808 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
South Africa 40%, Zambia 20%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6%, China 5%, Bulgaria 3% (2020)
copper, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, cobalt, cars (2020)
$2.764 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
$2.171 billion (31 December 2020 est.)
$2.049 billion (31 December 2019 est.)
$7.969 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$6.904 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
14.779 (2021 est.)
16.463 (2020 est.)
14.449 (2019 est.)
13.234 (2018 est.)
13.313 (2017 est.)
population without electricity: 1 million (2020)
electrification - total population: 55.2% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 74.7% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 33.2% (2021)
installed generating capacity: 640,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 4,065,360,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 119 million kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 3.417 billion kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 270 million kWh (2019 est.)comparison rankings:
fossil fuels: 6.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 88.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 38,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 59,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 26,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
80 bbl/day (2015 est.)
26,270 bbl/day (2015 est.)
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 62.297 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
3.831 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 66,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 3.764 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
29.811 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 21
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 602,893 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 26.29 million (2018) mt-km
V5
112 (2021)
19
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
93
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
total: 2,628 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 2,628 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
total: 48,875 km (2018)
paved: 7,893 km (2018)
unpaved: 40,982 km (2018)
total: 15 (2022)
by type: general cargo 1, other 14
major seaport(s): Luderitz, Walvis Bay
manyapis