Namibia

total: 104,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)

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

.na

percent of population: 64% (2023 est.)

total subscriptions: 81,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)

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

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

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

-$2.055 billion (2024 est.) -$1.893 billion (2023 est.) -$1.605 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar - 18.329 (2024 est.) 18.446 (2023 est.) 16.356 (2022 est.) 14.779 (2021 est.) 16.463 (2020 est.)

$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

gold, diamonds, radioactive chemicals, fish, refined petroleum (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 27%, China 12%, Botswana 8%, Belgium 7%, France 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

$13.372 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

household consumption: 79.3% (2024 est.) government consumption: 21.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 23.7% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 1.9% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 41.6% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -68% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture: 7.3% (2024 est.) industry: 28.9% (2024 est.) services: 54.5% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

59.1 (2015 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

lowest 10%: 1% (2015 est.) highest 10%: 47.2% (2015 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$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

refined petroleum, copper ore, ships, electricity, trucks (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

South Africa 36%, China 9%, India 7%, UAE 4%, USA 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

mining, tourism, fishing, agriculture

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

1.131 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

17.4% (2015 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line

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

$31.154 billion (2024 est.) $30.039 billion (2023 est.) $28.761 billion (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

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

1.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 1% of GDP (2023 est.) 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$3.356 billion (2024 est.) $2.956 billion (2023 est.) $2.803 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

33% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

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

total: 37.3% (2024 est.) male: 36.7% (2024 est.) female: 38% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

consumption: 24,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 900 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 26,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 350 million metric tons (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity: 646,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 3.891 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 169 million kWh (2023 est.) imports: 2.917 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 747.409 million kWh (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 56.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 74.8% electrification - rural areas: 33.2%

fossil fuels: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 26.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) wind: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 70% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

21.734 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 62.297 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 23,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

3.46 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 48,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 3.412 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

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

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

agricultural land: 47.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.2% (2023 est.) forest: 9.8% (2023 est.) other: 43.1% (2023 est.)

energy: 2.1 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 193.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 13.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

11.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

39.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal: 61.568 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 18.61 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 201 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

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

municipal solid waste generated annually: 256,700 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19.6% (2022 est.)

total : 824,292 sq km land: 823,290 sq km water: 1,002 sq km

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

desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

1,572 km

highest point: Konigstein on Brandberg 2,573 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 1,141 m

22 00 S, 17 00 E

the Namib Desert, after which the country is named, is considered to be the oldest desert in the world; some 14% of the land is protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

80 sq km (2012)

total: 4,220 km border countries (4): Angola 1,427 km; Botswana 1,544 km; South Africa 1,005 km; Zambia 244 km

agricultural land: 47.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 46.2% (2023 est.) forest: 9.8% (2023 est.) other: 43.1% (2023 est.)

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

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

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

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)

Africa

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

prolonged periods of drought

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

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

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

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 2013 to include the alveolar lateral click of the Khoekhoegowab language

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

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

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

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 word namib comes from the local Nama language and means "an area where there is nothing"

chief of mission: Ambassador John GIORDANO (since 29 October 2025) embassy: 38 Metje Street, Klein Windhoek, Windhoek mailing address: 2540 Windhoek Place, Washington DC 20521-2540 telephone: [264] (61) 202-5000 FAX: [264] (61) 202-5219 email address and website: ConsularWindhoek@state.gov https://na.usembassy.gov/

chief of mission: Ambassador Wilbard HELLAO (since 16 December 2025) 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/

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

description: a wide red stripe edged with narrow white stripes divides the flag diagonally from lower-left corner to upper-right corner; the upper triangle is blue and has a golden-yellow, 12-ray sunburst, and the lower triangle is green meaning: red stands for the heroism of the people and their determination to build a future of equal opportunity; white stands for peace, unity, tranquility, and harmony; blue stands for the sky and the Atlantic Ocean, the sun for power and existence, and green for vegetation and agricultural resources

presidential republic

21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

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

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

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

legislature name: Parliament legislative structure: bicameral

chamber name: National Assembly number of seats: 104 (96 directly elected; 8 appointed) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 11/27/2024 to 11/30/2024 parties elected and seats per party: SWAPO Party (51); Independent Patriots of Change (IPC) (20); Affirmative Repositioning (AR) (6); Landless People's Movement (LPM) (5); Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) (5); Other (9) percentage of women in chamber: 42.3% expected date of next election: November 2029

chamber name: National Council number of seats: 42 (all indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 12/15/2020 percentage of women in chamber: 14.3% expected date of next election: December 2025 note: the Council primarily reviews legislation passed and referred by the National Assembly

title: "Namibia, Land of the Brave" lyrics/music: Axali DOESEB history: adopted 1991

blue, red, green, white, yellow

total World Heritage Sites: 2 (1 cultural, 1 natural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes (c); Namib Sand Sea (n)

Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

oryx (antelope)

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 RP South 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

18 years of age; universal

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.

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)

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

estimated 12,000 active Namibian Defense Forces (2025)

the NDF's inventory consists mostly of Soviet-era weapons and equipment; over the past decade, it has received a limited number of newer weapons systems from China and South Africa; Namibia has a small defense industry that produces items such as armored personnel carriers (2025)

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.)

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

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)

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.)

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

33.7% (2018 est.)

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

total dependency ratio: 60.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 54 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.5 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.5 (2025 est.)

urban: 96.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 73.8% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 3.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 26.2% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.1% of population (2022 est.)

9.1% of GDP (2024 est.) 24.6% national budget (2025 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%

1.4 (2025 est.)

9.4% of GDP (2021) 11.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

total: 27.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 31 deaths/1,000 live births female: 24.7 deaths/1,000 live births

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

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

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

477,000 WINDHOEK (capital) (2023)

139 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

total: 23.1 years (2025 est.) male: 22.1 years female: 23.5 years

21.6 years (2013 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

noun: Namibian(s) adjective: Namibian

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

17.2% (2016)

0.55 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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

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

1.76% (2025 est.)

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

urban: 70.6% of population (2022 est.) rural: 23.6% of population (2022 est.) total: 49% of population (2022 est.) urban: 29.4% of population (2022 est.) rural: 76.4% of population (2022 est.) total: 51% of population (2022 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 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 total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total: 11.8% (2025 est.) male: 20.5% (2025 est.) female: 3.9% (2025 est.)

2.85 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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

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

259 (2025)

V5

1 (2025)

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

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 2 key ports: Luderitz Bay, Walvis Bay

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