2021 Edition

Background

Various ethnic groups occupied south western 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. Namibia gained independence in 1990.

Area

land

823,290 sq km

total

824,292 sq km

water

1,002 sq km

Area - comparative

almost seven times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Climate

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Coastline

1,572 km

Elevation

highest point

Konigstein on Brandberg 2,573 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

1,141 m

Geographic coordinates

22 00 S, 17 00 E

Geography - note

the Namib Desert, after which the country is named, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world; Namibia is the first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip; Namib-Naukluft National Park (49,768 sq km), is the largest game park in Africa and one of the largest in the world

Irrigated land

80 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Angola 1427 km, Botswana 1544 km, South Africa 1005 km, Zambia 244 km

total

4,220 km

Land use

agricultural land

47.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 46.2% (2018 est.)

forest

8.8% (2018 est.)

other

44% (2018 est.)

Location

Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa

Major aquifers

Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

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 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

prolonged periods of drought

Natural resources

diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, silver, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, tungsten, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish, note, suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Population distribution

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 population distribution map

Terrain

mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east

Age structure

0-14 years

35.68% (male 473,937/female 464,453)

15-24 years

20.27% (male 267,106/female 265,882)

25-54 years

35.47% (male 449,132/female 483,811)

55-64 years

4.68% (male 54,589/female 68,619)

65 years and over

3.9% (male 43,596/female 58,948) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

25.33 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

13.2% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

56.1% (2013)

Current Health Expenditure

8% (2018)

Death rate

7.07 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

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 – 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.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6

potential support ratio

16.6 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

67.9

youth dependency ratio

61.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 80.8% of population

improved: total

total: 89.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 19.2% of population

unimproved: total

total: 10.3% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.1% of population

Education expenditures

9.4% of GDP (2020)

Ethnic groups

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 .5%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

11.6% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

3,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

210,000 (2020 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

28.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

32.47 deaths/1,000 live births

total

30.38 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages

Life expectancy at birth

female

67.9 years (2021 est.)

male

63.9 years

total population

65.87 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

91.4% (2018)

male

91.6%

total population

91.5%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

446,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

195 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

22.6 years (2020 est.)

male

21.1 years

total

21.8 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.6 years (2013 est.)

note

note: median age at first birth among women 25-49

Nationality

adjective

Namibian

noun

Namibian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.2% (2016)

Physicians density

0.42 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

2,678,191 (July 2021 est.)

note

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected

Population distribution

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 population distribution map

Population growth rate

1.83% (2021 est.)

Religions

Christian 97.5%, other 0.6% (includes Muslim, Baha'i, Jewish, Buddhist), unaffiliated 1.9% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 22% of population

improved: total

total: 46.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 72.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 78% of population

unimproved: total

total: 53.1% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 27.1% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.93 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.8 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.74 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.03 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

38.5% (2018 est.)

male

37.5%

total

38%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

14 regions; Erongo, Hardap, //Karas, Kavango East, Kavango West, Khomas, Kunene, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Zambezi; note - the Karas Region was renamed //Karas in September 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language

Capital

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins first Sunday in September; ends first Sunday in April

etymology

may derive from the Afrikaans word "wind-hoek" meaning "windy corner"

geographic coordinates

22 34 S, 17 05 E

name

Windhoek

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Namibia

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

initiated by the Cabinet; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the National Assembly membership and of the National Council of Parliament and assent of the president of the republic; if the National Council fails to pass an amendment, the president can call for a referendum; passage by referendum requires two-thirds majority of votes cast; amendments that detract from or repeal constitutional articles on fundamental rights and freedoms cannot be amended, and the requisite majorities needed by Parliament to amend the constitution cannot be changed; amended 1998, 2010, 2014

history

adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Namibia

conventional short form

Namibia

etymology

named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name "namib" means "vast place" in the Nama/Damara language

former

German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa

local long form

Republic of Namibia

local short form

Namibia

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jessica LONG (since 2 July 2021)

email address and website

ConsularWindhoek@state.govhttps://na.usembassy.gov/

embassy

14 Lossen Street, Windhoek

FAX

[264] (061) 295-8603

mailing address

2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC  20521-2540

telephone

[264] (061) 295-8500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Margaret Natalie MENSAH-WILLIAMS (since 18 January 2021)

email address and website

info@namibiaembassyusa.orghttps://namibiaembassyusa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 986-0443

telephone

[1] (202) 986-0540

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly

chief of state

President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Hage GEINGOB elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (Independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 2.7%, Apius AUCHAB (UDF) 2.7%, Esther MUINJANGUE (NUDO) 1.5%, other 2%

elections/appointments

president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)

head of government

President Hage GEINGOB (since 21 March 2015); Vice President Nangola MBUMBA (since 8 February 2018); Prime Minister Saara KUUGONGELWA-AMADHILA (since 21 March 2015) 

Flag description

a wide red stripe edged by narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower hoist corner to upper fly corner; the upper hoist-side triangle is blue and charged with a golden-yellow, 12-rayed sunburst; the lower fly-side triangle is green; red signifies the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity for all; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue represents the Namibian sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the country's precious water resources and rain; the golden-yellow sun denotes power and existence; green symbolizes vegetation and agricultural resources

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, CPLP (associate observer), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice and at least 3 judges in quorum sessions)

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the president of Namibia upon the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission; judges serve until age 65, but terms can be extended by the president until age 70

subordinate courts

High Court; Electoral Court, Labor Court; regional and district magistrates' courts; community courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral Parliament consists of:National Council (42 seats); members indirectly elected 3 each by the 14 regional councils to serve 5-year terms); note - the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National AssemblyNational Assembly (104 seats; 96 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by closed list, proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms and 8 nonvoting members appointed by the president)

election results

National Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SWAPO 28, LPM 6,IPC 2, PDM 2, UDF 2, NUDO 1,  independent 1; composition - men 36, women 6, percent of women 16.6%National Assembly - percent of vote by party - SWAPO 65.5%, PDM 16.6%, LPM 4.7%, NUDO 1.9%, APP 1.8%, UDF 1.8%, RP 1.8%, NEFF 1.7%, RDP 1.1%, CDV .7%, SWANU .6%, other 1.8%; seats by party - SWAPO 63, PDM 16, LPM 4, NUDO 2, APP 2, UDF 2, RP 2, NEFF 2, RDP 1, CDV 1, SWANU 1; composition - NA

elections

National Council - elections for regional councils to determine members of the National Council held on 25 November 2020 (next to be held on 25 November 2025)National Assembly - last held on 27 November 2019 (next to be held in 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Axali DOESEB

name

Namibia, Land of the Brave

note

note: adopted 1991

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

National symbol(s)

oryx (antelope); national colors: blue, red, green, white, yellow

Political parties and leaders

All People's Party or APP [Vacant]Christian Democratic Voice or CDV [Gothard KANDUME]Landless People's Movement or LPM [Bernadus SWARTBOOI]National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO [Estes MUINJANGUE]Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF [Epafras MUKWIILONGO]Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly DTA) [McHenry VENAANI]Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA]Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Tangeni IIYAMBO]South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO [Hage GEINGOB]United Democratic Front or UDF [Apius AUCHAB]United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

roots/tubers nes, milk, maize, onions, beef, grapes, fruit, pulses nes, vegetables, millet

Budget

expenditures

5 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

4.268 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB (2019)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2020)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

-$465 million (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

-$216 million (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$6.904 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$7.969 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

Namibia’s economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for about 12.5% of GDP, but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. The rising cost of mining diamonds, especially from the sea, combined with increased diamond production in Russia and China, has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities have emphasized the need to add value to raw materials, do more in-country manufacturing, and exploit the services market, especially in the logistics and transportation sectors.Namibia is one of the world’s largest producers of uranium. The Chinese-owned Husab uranium mine began producing uranium ore in 2017, and is expected to reach full production in August 2018 and produce 15 million pounds of uranium a year. Namibia also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and drought.Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years, food shortages are problematic in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the region, obscures one of the world's most unequal income distributions; the current government has prioritized exploring wealth redistribution schemes while trying to maintain a pro-business environment. GDP growth in 2017 slowed to about 1%, however, due to contractions in both the construction and mining sectors, as well as an ongoing drought. Growth is expected to recover modestly in 2018.A five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country, Namibia is ineligible for a second compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU); volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment and global mineral prices complicates budget planning.

Exchange rates

currency

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

10.8526 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

12.7589 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

14.7096 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

14.7096 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

13.67 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$4.95 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$4.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$3.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

copper, diamonds, uranium, thorium, gold, radioactive chemicals, fish (2019)

Exports - partners

China 27%, South Africa 18%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 7% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

36.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption

24.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

68.7% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-47.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

16% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

1.6% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

6.7% (2016 est.)

industry

26.3% (2016 est.)

services

67% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.372 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2003

70.7 (2003)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

59.1 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

42% (2010)

lowest 10%

2.4%

Imports

Imports 2018

$6.33 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$5.77 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$4.54 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

copper, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, diamonds, cars (2019)

Imports - partners

South Africa 47%, Zambia 16% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, pasta, beverages; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

6.1% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

4.2% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

3.7% (2019 est.)

Labor force

956,800 (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

31%

industry

14%

note

note: about half of Namibia's people are unemployed while about two-thirds live in rural areas; roughly two-thirds of rural dwellers rely on subsistence agriculture

services

54% (2013 est.)

Population below poverty line

17.4% (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

39.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

41.3% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$24.71 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$24.56 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$22.6 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-1.02% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

1.13% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

-1.56% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$10,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$9,800 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$8,900 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$1.834 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$2.432 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

32.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2014

28.1% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate 2016

34% (2016 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

38.5% (2018 est.)

male

37.5%

total

38%

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

3.891 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

88 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

28% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

64% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

3.073 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

535,500 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

1.403 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

36% (2019)

electrification - total population

57% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

78% (2019)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

62.29 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

27,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

80 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

26,270 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2.8 (2020 est.)

total

71,063 (2020)

Broadcast media

1 private and 1 state-run TV station; satellite and cable TV service available; state-run radio service broadcasts in multiple languages; about a dozen private radio stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters available

Internet country code

.na

Internet users

percent of population

51% (2019 est.)

total

1.31 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line subscribership is 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular 113 per 100 persons (2019)

general assessment

good competition in mobile market and investment in LTE government program to provide 95% of population with broadband by 2024; 5G delayed due to public concerns of privacy and security; high prices for international bandwidth due to lack of submarine cables, yet improved by diversification of satellite access (2020)

international

country code - 264; landing points for the ACE and WACS fiber-optic submarine cable linking southern and western African countries to Europe; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

5.56 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

141,334 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

102.1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

2,594,382 (2020)

Airports

total

112 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

12

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

1 (2017)

over 3,047 m

4

total

19

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

25

914 to 1,523 m

52

total

93

under 914 m

16 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V5

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 13 (2021)

total

14

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

26.29 million mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

602,893 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

21

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Railways

narrow gauge

2,628 km 1.067-m gauge (2014)

total

2,628 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

7,893 km (2018)

total

48,875 km (2018)

unpaved

40,982 km (2018)

Military - note

the Namibian Defense Force (NDF) was created in 1990, largely from demobilized former members of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) and the South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF); PLAN was the armed wing of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), while SWATF was an auxiliary of the South African Defense Force and comprised the armed forces of the former South West Africa, 1977-1989; from 1990-1995, the British military assisted with the forming and training the NDF

Military and security forces

Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Army, Navy, Air ForceMinistry of Safety and Security: Namibian Police Force (includes a paramilitary Special Field Force responsible for protecting borders and government installations) (2021)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 12,500 personnel (11,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2020)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the Namibian Defense Force consists mostly of Soviet-era equipment; China is the leading supplier of weapons to Namibia since 2010 (2020)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

3.9% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

3.4% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

3.2% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

3% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)

Disputes - international

concerns from international experts and local populations over the Okavango Delta ecology in Botswana and human displacement scuttled Namibian plans to construct a hydroelectric dam on Popa Falls along the Angola-Namibia border; the governments of South Africa and Namibia have not signed or ratified the text of the 1994 Surveyor's General agreement placing the boundary in the middle of the Orange River; Namibia has supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

5,641 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2021)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

4.23 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

10.4 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

22.59 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Environment - current issues

depletion and degradation of water and aquatic resources; desertification; land degradation; loss of biodiversity and biotic resources; wildlife poaching

Environment - international agreements

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

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to reduced incomes - an above-average harvest in 2021 is expected to lead to an improvement in food security compared to the previous year, however, the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily income and job losses, are expected to continue to constrain households’ access to food (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

47.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 46.2% (2018 est.)

forest

8.8% (2018 est.)

other

44% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria

water contact diseases

schistosomiasis

Major rivers (by length in km)

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 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

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)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.47% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

39.91 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

201 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

14 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

73 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

53% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

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.)