Namibia

Table of Contents

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Physical features of Southern Africa

Namibia: Religious affiliation

Namibia: Age breakdown

For Students

Namibia summary

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Namibia: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Local power lights up March figures with 59% • May 21, 2025, 3:57 AM ET (The Namibian)

Kaaronda describes late Swanu leader Kuzeeko Kangueehi as selfless • May 21, 2025, 1:41 AM ET (The Namibian)

China to continue to encourage citizens to invest in Namibia, supports Swapo manifesto • May 20, 2025, 11:41 PM ET (The Namibian)

Windhoek slows, Swakopmund builds momentum in April construction data • May 20, 2025, 4:15 AM ET (The Namibian)

First Genocide Remembrance Day to be marked at Parliament Gardens with public holiday • May 20, 2025, 3:41 AM ET (The Namibian)

Facts

Also Known As	Namibië • Republic of Namibia • South West Africa • Suidwes-Afrika
Head Of State And Government	President: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, assisted by Vice President: Lucia Witbooi
Capital	Windhoek
Population	(2025 est.) 3,185,000
Form Of Government	republic with two legislative houses (National Council [42]; National Assembly [96¹])
Official Language	English
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republic of Namibia
Total Area (Sq Km)	824,292
Total Area (Sq Mi)	318,259
Monetary Unit	Namibian dollar (N$)
Population Rank	(2025) 136
Population Projection 2030	2,927,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 10
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 3.9
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2023) 42.8% • Rural: (2023) 57.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 64.5 years • Female: (2022) 68.5 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2021) 92% • Female: (2021) 92%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 12,677
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 4,280
¹Excludes eight nonvoting members appointed by the president.

Photos and Videos

Physical features of Southern Africa

Principal peoples of Southern Africa, 17th to mid-19th century

Colonial Southern Africa, 1884–1905

German South West Africa, c. 1902

Unusual diet of black-backed jackals on Namibia's coast

Saving big cats at the AfriCat Foundation in Namibia

Inside the Afri-Leo Foundation: Protecting lions in Namibia

National anthem of Namibia

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah Hifikepunye Pohamba Sam Nujoma Africa Southern Africa nation-state Commonwealth Sperrgebiet Caprivi Strip Owambo United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah

president of Namibia

Hifikepunye Pohamba

Hifikepunye Pohamba

president of Namibia

Sam Nujoma

Sam Nujoma

president of Namibia

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.

Africa

continent

Namib desert

Southern Africa

region, Africa

Sperrgebiet

region, Namibia

Caprivi Strip

Caprivi Strip

region, Namibia

Owambo

territory, Namibia

Walvis Bay, Namibia

Walvis Bay

Namibia

Kaokoland

Kaokoland

region, Namibia

Rehoboth

Namibia

Grootfontein

Namibia

Kavango

area, Namibia

buildings in Windhoek, Namibia

Windhoek

national capital, Namibia

Bethanie

Namibia

Hereroland

region, Namibia

Mariental

Namibia

Oranjemund

Namibia

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