2024 Edition Primary

Background

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 SWAPO has governed it since, although 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.

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 1,427 km; Botswana 1,544 km; South Africa 1,005 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

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

34.1% (male 482,790/female 473,306)

15-64 years

62% (male 846,810/female 890,099)

65 years and over

3.9% (2024 est.) (male 47,686/female 62,969)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.32 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.53 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.38 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

24.3 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

13.2% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

56.1% (2013)

Current health expenditure

8.9% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

33.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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 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.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.7

potential support ratio

14.8 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

67.3

youth dependency ratio

60.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 83.2% of population

improved: total

total: 91.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 16.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 8.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.1% of population

Education expenditures

9.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

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 0.5%

Gross reproduction rate

1.43 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.7 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

24.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

31 deaths/1,000 live births

total

27.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4%, 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

67.6 years

male

64.2 years

total population

65.9 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

92.3% (2021)

male

90.6%

total population

92.3%

Major urban areas - population

477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

215 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

23.5 years

male

22.1 years

total

22.8 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

21.6 years (2013 est.)

note

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

Nationality

adjective

Namibian

noun

Namibian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

17.2% (2016)

Physician density

0.59 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

1,426,374 (2024 est.)

male

1,377,286

total

2,803,660

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

1.72% (2024 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: 23.6% of population

improved: total

total: 48.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 70.6% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 76.4% of population

unimproved: total

total: 51.9% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 29.4% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.76 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6% (2020 est.)

male

24.2% (2020 est.)

total

15.1% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.89 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

54.9% of total population (2023)

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

passage requires 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 Randy William BERRY (since 9 February 2023)

email address and website

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

embassy

38 Metje Street, Klein Windhoek, Windhoek

FAX

[264] (61) 202-5219

mailing address

2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC  20521-2540

telephone

[264] (61) 202-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Margareth 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

Acting President Nangolo MBUMBA (since 4 February 2024)

election results

2024: Netumbo Nandi-NDAITWAH elected president in the first round; percent of vote -Netumbo Nandi-NDAITWAH (SWAPO) 57%, Panduleni  ITULA (IPC) 26%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.10%, Bernadus SWARTBOOI (LPM) 4.72%, Job AMUPANDA (AR) 1.80%, Hendrik GAOBEAB (UDF) 1.16%; other 3.31%2019: Hage GEINGOB reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Hage GEINGOB (SWAPO) 56.3%, Panduleni ITULA (independent) 29.4%, McHenry VENAANI (PDM) 5.3%, other .9%  

elections/appointments

president directly 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 27 November 2024 (next to be held in November 2029) note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; note- President Hage GEINGOB died on 4 February 2024, and Vice President MBUMBA was sworn in to run the government until the next presidential election in November 2024; note- Netumbo Nandi-NDAITWAH won the 7 December 2024 election with her inauguration scheduled for 21 March 2025

head of government

Acting President Nangolo MBUMBA (since 4 February 2024)

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, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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)National 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

Nstional 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, percentage women 14.3% 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 - men 58, women 46, percentage women 44.2%; total Parliament percentage women 35.6%

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 November 2024)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Axali DOESEB

name

"Namibia, Land of the Brave"

note

note: adopted 1991

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes (c); Namib Sand Sea (n)

total World Heritage Sites

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

National symbol(s)

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

Political parties

All People's Party or APP Christian Democratic Voice or CDV Landless People's Movement or LPM National Unity Democratic Organization or NUDO Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters or NEFF Popular Democratic Movement or PDM (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance or DTA) Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP Republican Party or RPSouth West Africa National Union or SWANU South West Africa People's Organization or SWAPO United Democratic Front or UDF United People's Movement or UPM

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

root vegetables, milk, maize, millet, grapes, beef, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$4.535 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$3.998 billion (2022 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB (2019)

Moody's rating

Ba3 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2021

-$1.391 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$1.628 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

-$1.848 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

14.449 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

16.463 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

14.779 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

16.356 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

18.446 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$4.341 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$5.314 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$5.641 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

diamonds, gold, fish, radioactive chemicals, ships (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

South Africa 28%, Botswana 11%, China 10%, Zambia 5%, France 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

43.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption

21.8% (2023 est.)

household consumption

73.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-66.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

26.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

1.5% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

7.7% (2023 est.)

industry

30% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

53.4% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.351 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2015

59.1 (2015 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

47.3% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%

1% (2015 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2021

$6.467 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$7.423 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$8.281 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, ships, copper ore, trucks, electricity (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

South Africa 41%, China 7%, Nigeria 5%, India 4%, UAE 4% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

9.19% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.62% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

6.08% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

5.88% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

989,000 (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

17.4% (2015 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

note

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2019

4.64% of GDP (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$27.288 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$28.748 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$29.944 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.6% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5.35% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

4.16% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$10,800 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$11,200 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$11,500 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.37% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.43% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$2.764 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$2.803 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$2.956 billion (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.17% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

20.88% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

19.75% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

19.42% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

38.8% (2023 est.)

male

37.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

38% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

72,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

3.538 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

3.61 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

consumption

32,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

imports

33,000 metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

350 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

3.433 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

382 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

2.835 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

646,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

370.694 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

33.2%

electrification - total population

56.2% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

74.8%

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

3.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

57.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

36.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

1.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

24.695 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Natural gas

proven reserves

62.297 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

25,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2020 est.)

total

71,063 (2020 est.)

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

53% (2021 est.)

total

1.325 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line subscribership is 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular roughly 113 per 100 persons (2022) (2021)

general assessment

the government’s Broadband Policy aims to provide 95% population coverage by 2024; mobile network coverage has increased sharply in recent years; by 2023, 3G infrastructure provided 89% population coverage while LTE infrastructure provided 79% coverage; despite the relatively advanced nature of the market, progress towards 5G has been slow, partly due to unsubstantiated public concerns over health implications of the technology which caused the government to order an environmental assessment of 5G in mid-2020; the government has requested the regulator to speed up its 5G development strategy; Namibia’s internet and broadband sector is reasonably competitive, its development was for many years held back by high prices for international bandwidth caused by the lack of a direct connection to international submarine cables; this market situation improved after operators invested in diversifying terrestrial access routes to adjacent countries; in June 2022 Namibia was connected to a 1,050km branch line of cable running between Portugal and South Africa (2022)

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)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

86,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

113 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

2.906 million (2022 est.)

Airports

255 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V5

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1, other 14

total

15 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

26.29 million (2018) mt-km

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

key ports

Luderitz Bay, Walvis Bay

ports with oil terminals

2

small

2

total ports

2 (2024)

Railways

narrow gauge

2,628 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total

2,628 km (2014)

Roadways

paved

7,893 km

total

48,875 km

unpaved

40,982 km (2018)

Military - note

the NDF’s primary responsibility is defending Namibia's territorial integrity and national interests; it has participated in UN and regional peacekeeping and security missions and provides assistance to civil authorities as needed; it also participates in multinational training exercisesthe 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); the 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 (2024)

Military and security forces

Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Army, Navy, Air Force (2024)

note

note: the Namibian Police Force is under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security; it has a paramilitary Special Field Force responsible for protecting borders and government installations

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 12,000 personnel (10,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the NDF's inventory consists of a mix of Soviet-era and some more modern systems from a variety of countries, including Brazil, China, Germany, India, and South Africa; most of the Navy's vessels and the Air Force's fighter aircraft were acquired from China; Namibia has a small defense industry that produces items such as armored personnel carriers (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

3.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2024)

note

note: as of 2022, women comprised about 23% of the active-duty military

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

6,288 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

4.23 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

10.4 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

11.81 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 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 localized shortfalls in cereal production and rising food prices - an estimated 390,000 people faced acute food insecurity in the January to March 2023 period, lower than the figure in the corresponding period of 2022; high food prices and localized weather induced shortfalls in cereal production in 2022 were the key drivers (2023)

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 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

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.47% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

39.91 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

201 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

70 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

54.9% of total population (2023)

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.)