Namibia

Sub-Saharan Africa·Lower middle income

Population: 2.96M; 137th of 217
GDP: $13.4B; 148th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $4,413; 143rd of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 67.4; 169th of 217
Human development: 0.615; 137th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Namibia

Eswatini

Cabo Verde

São Tomé and Principe

South Africa

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

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

Area: 824,292 km²
Languages: Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4%…
Resources: diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc…
Borders: Angola 1,427 km; Botswana 1,544 km; South Africa 1,005 km; Zambia

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Christian90.5%▼ 5.6pt
Unaffiliated5.6%▲ 5.4pt
Other3.6%

Religious diversity: 2.05 / 10 · moderate · 124th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

NAM

SWZ

CPV

STP

GDP

current US$

$13.4B–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$2.06B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

113.1%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

7.3%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

28.9%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Gini index

0–100

–––

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

–––

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

–––

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

–––

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

2,184–––

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

0.529–––

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

–––

Population

people

2.96M–––

Population density

people per km²

3.5–––

Urban population

% of total

54.9%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

3.2–––

Net migration

people

4,211–––

Population under 15

% of total

37%–––

Population 65+

% of total

3.7%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

9.3%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

9%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

6,369.6–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

637.9–––

Electricity generation

TWh

1.9–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

0%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

–––

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

–––

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

–––

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

2.05–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

5.6%–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

2.7%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#148/214

$13.4B2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#143/214

$4,4132024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#131/203

$11,251latest

GDP growth

annual %

#85/214

3.7%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#137/207

$4,2402024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#91/213

3.3%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#65/201

$2.06B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#24/205

113.1%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#92/206

7.3%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#63/208

28.9%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#180/187

19.4%latest

Gini index

0–100

#167/168

59.1latest

Extreme poverty

% below $2.15/day

#128/168

22.9%latest

GDP per capita, long run

2011 int'l $

#103/165

$7,9792022

Human capital index

PWT, schooling × returns

#105/144

2.312023

Annual hours worked

hours per worker

#29/129

2,1842023

Labor share of GDP

share, 0–1

#63/139

0.5292023

Total factor productivity

level, US = 1

#73/119

0.552023

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#137/217

2.96Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#213/216

3.5latest

Urban population

% of total

#134/215

54.9%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#169/217

67.4latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#50/217

3.2latest

Net migration

people

#54/217

4,2112024

Population under 15

% of total

#44/217

37%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#173/217

3.7%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#168/196

38.4latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#161/196

40.7latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#41/192

9.3%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#141/195

0.5latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#88/160

92.3%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#7/199

9%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#117/194

28.9%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#142/210

64.4%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#165/214

87.72023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#144/208

3.52023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#133/215

427.42024

Access to electricity

% of population

#189/215

56.7%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#133/198

6,369.62023

Electricity per capita

kWh

#153/202

637.92023

Electricity generation

TWh

#142/202

1.92023

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#11/202

97.9%2023

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#12/202

2.1%2023

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#61/204

3.52024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#61/204

1.12024

Share of global CO₂

#144/204

0%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#139/193

7.62023

Inequality

Who gets what — top and bottom shares of income and wealth, from tax data and national accounts

theme overview →

Top 1% income share

% of pre-tax income

#176/210

0.2%2024

Top 10% income share

% of pre-tax income

#208/210

0.6%2024

Bottom 50% income share

% of pre-tax income

#208/210

0.1%2024

Top 1% wealth share

% of net wealth

#204/210

0.4%2024

Gini, pre-tax income

0–1

#208/210

0.7372024

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#64/175

0.6332025

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#60/175

0.5192025

Civil liberties

V-Dem, 0–1

#39/175

0.8832025

Political corruption

V-Dem, 0–1

#51/175

0.2742025

Academic freedom

V-Dem, 0–1

#69/175

0.7182025

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#58/178

492022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#70/193

0.2152022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#80/193

0.03952022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#64/193

0.4052022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#62/193

0.5562022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#50/175

0.8552025

Conflict & Security

Organized violence since 1989 — every battle death georeferenced by the Uppsala Conflict Data Program

theme overview →

Conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#45/126

02025

State-based conflict deaths

deaths per year, best estimate

#55/126

02025

One-sided violence deaths

civilian deaths per year

#54/126

02025

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#124/193

2.052020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#86/193

5.6%2020

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#137/189

0.6152021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#111/170

0.4452021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#116/164

4.782025

Global Peace Index

1–5

#55/158

1.862023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#39/161

2.7%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.