Namibia
Introduction
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 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.
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Geography
Location
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa
Geographic coordinates
22 00 S, 17 00 E
Map references
Africa
Area - comparative
almost seven times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Land boundaries
total: 4,220 km
border countries (4): Angola 1,427 km; Botswana 1,544 km; South Africa 1,005 km; Zambia 244 km
Coastline
1,572 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Terrain
mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in east
Elevation
highest point: Konigstein on Brandberg 2,573 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 1,141 m
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
Land use
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.)
Irrigated land
80 sq km (2012)
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 km
note – [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)
Major aquifers
Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
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
Natural hazards
prolonged periods of drought
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
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Namibian(s)
adjective: Namibian
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%
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: 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.)
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.
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.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 67.3
youth dependency ratio: 60.6
elderly dependency ratio: 6.7
potential support ratio: 14.8 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 21.8 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 22.6 years (2020 est.)
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
Urbanization
urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.6 years (2013 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Maternal mortality ratio
195 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48Infant mortality rate
total: 29.42 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 31.48 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 27.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 66.47 years
male: 64.46 years
female: 68.53 years (2022 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
56.1% (2013)
Drinking water source
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.)
Current health expenditure
8.5% of GDP (2019)
Physicians density
0.59 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Hospital bed density
2.7 beds/1,000 population
Sanitation facility access
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.)
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
Alcohol consumption per capita
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.)
Tobacco use
total: 15.1% (2020 est.)
male: 24.2% (2020 est.)
female: 6% (2020 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.5%
male: 91.6%
female: 91.4% (2018)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 38%
male: 37.5%
female: 38.5% (2018 est.)
Environment
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
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 22.59 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 4.23 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 10.4 megatons (2020 est.)
Climate
desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic
Land use
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.)
Urbanization
urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0.47% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68Major 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
Food insecurity
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)
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.)
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 km
note – [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)
Major aquifers
Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin, Upper Kalahari-Cuvelai-Upper Zambezi Basin
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 73 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 14 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 201 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
39.91 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
conventional short form: Namibia
local long form: Republic of Namibia
local short form: Namibia
former: German South-West Africa (Deutsch-Suedwestafrika), South-West Africa
etymology: named for the coastal Namib Desert; the name "namib" means "vast place" in the Nama/Damara language
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Windhoek
geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
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"
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
Independence
21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)
National holiday
Independence Day, 21 March (1990)
Constitution
history: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990
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
Legal system
mixed legal system of uncodified civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and customary law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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
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)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly
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)
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% (2019)
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 Assembly
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)
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)
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 as of July 2022 - men 36, women 6, percent of 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 as of July 2022 - men 58, women 46, percent of women 44.2%; note - overall percent of women in Parliament 35.6%
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
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 [McHenry VENAANI] (formerly Democratic Turnhalle Alliance or DTA)
Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Mike KAVEKOTORA]
Republican Party or RP [Henk MUDGE]
South West Africa National Union or SWANU [Charles KATJIVIRUE]
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]
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret Natalie MENSAH-WILLIAMS (since 18 January 2021)
chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443
email address and website:
info@namibiaembassyusa.org
https://namibiaembassyusa.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jessica LONG (since 2 July 2021)
embassy: 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
mailing address: 2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC 20521-2540
telephone: [264] (061) 295-8500
FAX: [264] (061) 295-8603
email address and website:
ConsularWindhoek@state.gov
https://na.usembassy.gov/
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
National symbol(s)
oryx (antelope); national colors: blue, red, green, white, yellow
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes (c); Namib Sand Sea (n)
Economy
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.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$22.6 billion (2020 est.)
$24.56 billion (2019 est.)
$24.71 billion (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
-1.56% (2019 est.)
1.13% (2018 est.)
-1.02% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$8,900 (2020 est.)
$9,800 (2019 est.)
$10,100 (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$12.372 billion (2019 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.7% (2019 est.)
4.2% (2018 est.)
6.1% (2017 est.)
Credit ratings
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.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 6.7% (2016 est.)
industry: 26.3% (2016 est.)
services: 67% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
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.)
Agricultural products
roots/tubers nes, milk, maize, onions, beef, grapes, fruit, pulses nes, vegetables, millet
Industries
meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products, pasta, beverages; mining (diamonds, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 31%
industry: 14%
services: 54% (2013 est.)
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
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 38%
male: 37.5%
female: 38.5% (2018 est.)
Population below poverty line
17.4% (2015 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
59.1 (2015 est.)
70.7 (2003)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 42% (2010)
Budget
revenues: 4.268 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 5 billion (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
1 April - 31 March
Current account balance
-$216 million (2019 est.)
-$465 million (2018 est.)
Exports
$3.56 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$4.56 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$4.95 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Exports - partners
China 27%, South Africa 18%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 7% (2019)
Exports - commodities
copper, diamonds, uranium, thorium, gold, radioactive chemicals, fish (2019)
Imports
$4.54 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$5.77 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$6.33 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners
South Africa 47%, Zambia 16% (2019)
Imports - commodities
copper, refined petroleum, delivery trucks, diamonds, cars (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$2.432 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.834 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$7.969 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$6.904 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar -
13.67 (2017 est.)
14.7096 (2016 est.)
14.7096 (2015 est.)
12.7589 (2014 est.)
10.8526 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 57% (2019)
electrification - urban areas: 78% (2019)
electrification - rural areas: 36% (2019)
Electricity
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.)
Electricity generation sources
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.)
Coal
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.)
Petroleum
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.)
Natural gas
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.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
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.)
Energy consumption per capita
29.811 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 140,370 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 2,898,125 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
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 2021, 3G infrastructure provided 89% population coverage while LTE infrastructure provided 79% coverage (compared to only 40% a year earlier); 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; by the end of 2022 Namibia is expected to be connected by a 1,050km branch line of cable running between Portugal and South Africa (2022)
domestic: fixed-line subscribership is less than 6 per 100 and mobile-cellular roughly 102 per 100 persons (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: 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 a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
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 users
total: 1,041,776 (2020 est.)
percent of population: 41% (2020 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 71,063 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2020 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
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
Airports - with paved runways
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2021)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 93
1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 52
under 914 m: 16 (2021)
Railways
total: 2,628 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 2,628 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Roadways
total: 48,875 km (2018)
paved: 7,893 km (2018)
unpaved: 40,982 km (2018)
Merchant marine
total: 14
by type: general cargo 1, other 13 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Luderitz, Walvis Bay
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Army, Navy, Air Force; Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security: Namibian Police Force (includes a paramilitary Special Field Force responsible for protecting borders and government installations) (2022)
Military expenditures
3% of GDP (2021 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.3% of GDP (2019) (approximately $620 million)
3.4% of GDP (2018) (approximately $640 million)
3.6% of GDP (2017) (approximately $670 million)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 12,500 personnel (11,000 Army; 1,000 Navy; 500 Air Force) (2022)
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; it has a small defense industry that produces items such as armored personnel carriers (2021)
Military service age and obligation
18-25 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2022)
note: as of 2018, women comprised more than 20% of the active duty military
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 (2022)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Namibia-Angola-Botswana: 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
Namibia-Botswana-Zambia-Zimbabwe: 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; the Kazungula Bridge opened to traffic in May 2021
Namibia-South Africa: 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 claims a median line boundary, while South Africa supports the northern bank of the river
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 6,096 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2022)