Namibia

presidential republic

name: Windhoek geographic coordinates: 22 34 S, 17 05 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name is an Afrikaans word meaning "windy corner;" a local Khoikhoin chief first used the name in the 19th century and may have derived it from the name of his childhood South African village of Winterhoek

chief of state: President Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAH (since 21 March 2025) head of government: President Netumbo NANDI-NDAITWAH (since 21 March 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among members of the National Assembly election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term) most recent election date: 27 November 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% expected date of next election: November 2029 note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral

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 on 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

history: adopted 9 February 1990, entered into force 21 March 1990 amendment process: 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

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

2.8% of GDP (2024 est.) 2.8% of GDP (2023 est.) 3% of GDP (2022 est.) 3% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Namibian Defense Force (NDF): Namibian Army, Namibian Navy, Namibian Air Force (2025) 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

18-25 years of age for men and women for voluntary military service; no conscription (2026)

the NDF s primary responsibility is defending Namibia's territorial integrity and national interests; other responsibilities include support to civil authorities and participating in peace and stability missions under the African Union, Southern African Development Community, and the UN; Namibia has bilateral defense ties with several countries, including Botswana, India, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia the 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 (2025)

$31.154 billion (2024 est.) $30.039 billion (2023 est.) $28.761 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

$10,300 (2024 est.) $10,100 (2023 est.) $10,000 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

3.7% (2024 est.) 4.4% (2023 est.) 5.4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

4.2% (2024 est.) 5.9% (2023 est.) 6.1% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

4.64% of GDP (2019 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

$5.887 billion (2024 est.) $5.729 billion (2023 est.) $5.361 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$9.199 billion (2024 est.) $8.443 billion (2023 est.) $7.43 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

19.2% (2024 est.) 19.4% (2023 est.) 19.7% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $4.415 billion (2023 est.) expenditures: $4.779 billion (2023 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture

root vegetables, milk, maize, beef, grapes, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses, vegetables (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 2,852,777 (2025 est.) male: 1,402,136 female: 1,450,641

1.76% (2025 est.)

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)

23.93 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6.36 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 65.9 years (2024 est.) male: 64.2 years female: 67.6 years

urban population: 54.9% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.64% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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%

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

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

total population: 87.6% (2023 est.) male: 87.9% (2023 est.) female: 87.4% (2023 est.)

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

refugees: 6,575 (2024 est.) IDPs: 1,399 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 14,796 (2024 est.)

259 (2025)

total: 2,628 km (2014) narrow gauge: 2,628 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

total: 15 (2023) by type: general cargo 1, other 14

total subscriptions: 2.58 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 85 (2024 est.)

percent of population: 64% (2023 est.)