Refugees
6,796refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
1,043from it, abroad, 2025
Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026
Namibia
Namibia has 3.1 m people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $15 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of the oil it uses (EIA, 2024).
Written automatically from the figures on this page.
- Population
- 3.1 m (2025)
Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.
- GDPUS$15.1billion140th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Population3.1million136th of 216World Bank · 2025
- GDP per personUS$4,876120th of 186World Bank · 2025
- Military, % GDP2.8% of GDP31st of 150World Bank · 2025
- CO2 per person1.1t153rd of 213Global Carbon Budget · 2024
Dependencies at a glance
Namibia imports all of the oil it uses.
Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
| Resource | Dependence | Position | Main partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Imports most | Imports all of the oil it usesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | South Africa, Norway, United Kingdom |
| Natural gas | Uses no gas, by this source PreliminaryEIA, 2024 | No partner data from the source | |
| Wheat | Imports most | Imports 89% of the wheat it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | Poland, Latvia, Lithuania |
| Maize | Imports most | Imports 92% of the maize it uses EstimateFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023 | South Africa |
| Rice | Not reported by this source | – | |
| Soybeans | Not reported by this source | – | |
| Potash | Imports most | Imports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Russia, Canada, South Africa |
| Phosphate | Imports most | Imports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025 | Morocco, China, South Africa |
| Arms | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: China, 96% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025 | China, South Africa |
| Chips | Supplier concentration only | Main supplier: South Africa, 57% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025 | South Africa, China, United States |
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
- OilImports most
Imports all of the oil it uses
Main partners: South Africa, Norway, United Kingdom
EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- Natural gas
Uses no gas, by this source Preliminary
Main partners: No partner data from the source
EIA, 2024
- WheatImports most
Imports 89% of the wheat it uses
Main partners: Poland, Latvia, Lithuania
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- MaizeImports most
Imports 92% of the maize it uses Estimate
Main partners: South Africa
FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023
- Rice
Not reported by this source
- Soybeans
Not reported by this source
- PotashImports most
Imports all of its potash supply Estimate
Main partners: Russia, Canada, South Africa
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- PhosphateImports most
Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate
Main partners: Morocco, China, South Africa
FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025
- ArmsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: China, 96% of imports
Main partners: China, South Africa
SIPRI, 2021–2025
- ChipsSupplier concentration only
Main supplier: South Africa, 57% of imports
Main partners: South Africa, China, United States
UN Comtrade, 2025
Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Dependencies toolMoney and reserves
Namibia’s economy produced $15 bn in 2025.
GDP, 2000–2025
Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026
Economic growth1.7%2025 · 143rd of 186 · World Bank
Inflation3.5%2025 · 72nd of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment19.3%2025 · 7th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$3.36billion2024 · 110th of 164 · World Bank
Trade108% of GDP2024 · 50th of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$1.45billion2025 · 85th of 200 · World Bank
People
Namibia had 3.1 m people in 2025.
Population, 1950–2100
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios
Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Namibia’s population by age
1950200020502100
Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection
Births per woman3.212023 · 52nd of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age21.02023 · 187th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over3.8%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
Climate and hazards
Namibia emitted 3.5 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.
Namibia’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1991–2024
Source: Our World in Data CO21991–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026
CO2 emissions3Mt2024 · 145th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person1.1t2024 · 153rd of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 175087Mt2024 · 150th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress4.22023 · 21st of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
More figures
Shown only where a source covers Namibia.
Sanctions
3entries on the US, EU and UK lists give it as an address or nationality: US 3
Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.
Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026
Chinese loans and grants
US$2.49billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021
Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021
Cyber incidents
2publicly known incidents affecting Namibia, 2000–2024
Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to
Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024
All figures
50 measures on this site have a recent figure for Namibia.
| GDP | $15 bn | 2025 | 140th of 186 | World Bank |
| GDP per person | $4,876 | 2025 | 120th of 186 | World Bank |
| Economic growth | 1.7% | 2025 | 143rd of 186 | World Bank |
| Inflation | 3.5% | 2025 | 72nd of 169 | World Bank |
| Government debt | 68% | 2025 | 58th of 191 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Government budget balance | −5.9% | 2025 | 166th of 195 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Current account balance | −13.1% | 2025 | 175th of 194 | IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026 |
| Unemployment | 19.3% | 2025 | 7th of 181 | World Bank |
| Reserves, including gold | $3.4 bn | 2024 | 110th of 164 | World Bank |
| Trade | 108% | 2024 | 50th of 172 | World Bank |
| Foreign investment in | $1.4 bn | 2025 | 85th of 200 | World Bank |
| Remittances received | 0.7% | 2024 | 116th of 162 | World Bank |
| Population | 3.1 m | 2025 | 136th of 216 | World Bank |
| Population with UN projections | 3.0 m | 2023 | 139th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Births per woman | 3.21 | 2023 | 52nd of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Median age | 21.0 | 2023 | 187th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Life expectancy | 67.4 | 2023 | 189th of 237 | UN WPP 2024 |
| Refugees from the country | 1,043 | 2025 | 124th of 206 | UNHCR |
| Refugees and others needing protection, by host | 6,796 | 2025 | 119th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Refugees hosted per 1,000 people | 2.2 | 2025 | 99th of 176 | UNHCR |
| Crude oil production | 0 kb/d | 2025 | 100th of 214 | EIA |
| Oil consumption | 24 kb/d | 2024 | 135th of 212 | EIA |
| Natural gas production | Preliminary | 2024 | 97th of 213 | EIA |
| Natural gas consumption | 0.0 bcm | 2024 | 126th of 213 | EIA |
| Electricity generated | 2 TWh | 2024 | 147th of 193 | Ember |
| Low-carbon electricity | 98% | 2024 | 13th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from coal | 2.4% | 2024 | 67th of 193 | Ember |
| Electricity from wind and solar | 37% | 2024 | 13th of 193 | Ember |
| Wheat production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 95th of 123 | FAOSTAT |
| Wheat imports | 0.2 Mt | 2024 | 100th of 180 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize production | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 117th of 169 | FAOSTAT |
| Maize imports | 0.3 Mt | 2024 | 56th of 196 | FAOSTAT |
| Rice imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 128th of 197 | FAOSTAT |
| Soybean imports | 0.0 Mt | 2024 | 130th of 179 | FAOSTAT |
| Potash fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 154th of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| Phosphate fertiliser use | 0.00 Mt | 2024 | 152nd of 199 | FAOSTAT |
| CO2 emissions | 3 Mt | 2024 | 145th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 per person | 1.1 t | 2024 | 153rd of 213 | Global Carbon Budget |
| CO2 emitted since 1750 | 87 Mt | 2024 | 150th of 214 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Net CO2 imports through trade | 180% | 2023 | 6th of 120 | Global Carbon Budget |
| Water stress | 4.2 | 2023 | 21st of 164 | WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0) |
| Water from abroad | 85% | 2023 | 12th of 193 | FAO AQUASTAT |
| Military spending, share of GDP | 2.8% | 2025 | 31st of 150 | World Bank |
| Military spending | $411 m | 2025 | 106th of 150 | World Bank |
| Arms imports | 56 TIV m | 2024 | 61st of 117 | SIPRI |
| People using the internet | 65% | 2024 | 131st of 182 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports | $26 m | 2024 | 128th of 162 | World Bank |
| ICT service exports, share of service exports | 2% | 2024 | 126th of 162 | World Bank |
| Sanctions list entries (US, EU, UK) | 3 | 2026 | 150th of 181 | US CSL |
| Chinese loans and grants committed | $10 m | 2021 | 86th of 122 | AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0 |
Sources for this page
- World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
- IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
- UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
- UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
- U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
- Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
- FAOSTATWheat production, Wheat imports, Maize production, Maize imports, Rice imports, Soybean imports, …
- Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
- WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
- FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
- SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
- US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions list entries, Sanctions
- AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
- UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
- EU financial sanctions listSanctions
- UK Sanctions ListSanctions
- EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents
Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure