World Factbook
Namibia
Republic of Namibia
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Literacy
male
87.9% (2023 est.)
female
87.4% (2023 est.)
total population
87.6% (2023 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: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages
Religions
Christian 97.5%, other 0.6% (includes Muslim, Baha'i, Jewish, Buddhist), unaffiliated 1.9% (2020 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.95 male(s)/female
total population
0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.76 male(s)/female
Birth rate
23.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
22.1 years
total
23.1 years (2025 est.)
female
23.5 years
Population
male
1,402,136
total
2,852,777 (2025 est.)
female
1,450,641
Nationality
noun
Namibian(s)
adjective
Namibian
Tobacco use
male
20.5% (2025 est.)
total
11.8% (2025 est.)
female
3.9% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
54.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
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)
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%
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
60.5 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
54 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
15.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
6.5 (2025 est.)
Physician density
0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
9.4% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
11.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.85 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 73.8% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 85.9% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 96.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 26.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 14.1% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 3.8% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
9.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
24.6% national budget (2025 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
31 deaths/1,000 live births
total
27.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
24.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
1.76% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
1.4 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
population density is very low, with the largest clusters found in the extreme north-central area along the border with Angola, as shown in this population distribution map
Life expectancy at birth
male
64.2 years
female
67.6 years
total population
65.9 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
139 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 49% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 70.6% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 51% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 29.4% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
1.37 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
0.16 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
2.38 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.)
Major urban areas - population
477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
17.2% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.6 years (2013 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
33.7% (2018 est.)