Share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia
Namibia: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 47.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
47.0%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
146th
of 202 countries
All-time high
47.0%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia is 47.0%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia peaked at 47.0% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Namibia 146th out of 202 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.3% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.5% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 1.8% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 2.0% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 2.2% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 2.4% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 3.1% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 3.8% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 4.1% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 4.5% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 4.9% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 5.4% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 5.9% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 6.5% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 7.1% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 7.8% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 8.5% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 9.3% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 10.2% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 11.2% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 12.2% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 13.4% | +9.5% |
| 1951 | 13.8% | +3.0% |
| 1952 | 14.2% | +3.0% |
| 1953 | 14.6% | +3.0% |
| 1954 | 15.1% | +3.0% |
| 1955 | 15.5% | +2.9% |
| 1956 | 16.0% | +2.9% |
| 1957 | 16.4% | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 16.9% | +2.9% |
| 1959 | 17.4% | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 17.9% | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 18.3% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 18.7% | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 19.2% | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 19.6% | +2.2% |
| 1965 | 20.0% | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 20.5% | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 20.9% | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 21.4% | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 21.8% | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 22.3% | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 22.5% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 22.8% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 23.1% | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 23.4% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 23.7% | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 24.0% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 24.2% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 24.5% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 24.8% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 25.1% | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 25.2% | +0.6% |
| 1982 | 25.4% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 25.6% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 25.9% | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 26.4% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 26.5% | +0.4% |
| 1987 | 26.8% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 27.1% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 27.5% | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 27.7% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 27.9% | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 28.3% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 28.6% | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 29.3% | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 29.6% | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 30.0% | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 30.4% | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 30.8% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 31.1% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 31.8% | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 32.5% | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 33.2% | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 33.9% | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 34.6% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 35.2% | +2.0% |
| 2007 | 35.9% | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 36.6% | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 37.3% | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 38.0% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 39.2% | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 39.8% | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 40.5% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 41.1% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 41.7% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 42.3% | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 42.9% | +1.5% |
| 2019 | 43.5% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 44.2% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 44.7% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 45.3% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 45.9% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 46.5% | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 47.0% | +1.2% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 47.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.0%, 1.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 47.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1790s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1820s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1830s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1840s | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% | 1 |
| 1850s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1870s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1880s | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 1 |
| 1890s | 7.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 1 |
| 1900s | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 1 |
| 1910s | 9.3% | 9.3% | 9.3% | 1 |
| 1920s | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 1 |
| 1930s | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 1 |
| 1940s | 12.2% | 12.2% | 12.2% | 1 |
| 1950s | 15.3% | 13.4% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.8% | 17.9% | 21.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 23.5% | 22.3% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.1% | 25.1% | 27.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 29.1% | 27.7% | 30.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.2% | 31.1% | 37.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.8% | 38.0% | 43.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.6% | 44.2% | 47.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 143 Central African Republic 47.7% compare
- 144 Sierra Leone 47.2% compare
- 145 Zimbabwe 47.1% compare
- 147 Equatorial Guinea 46.4% compare
- 148 Qatar 46.2% compare
- 149 Bhutan 46.2% compare
More population data for Namibia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.6736 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1475 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 3,780 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.52 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4525 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Population density 7.16 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 357,079 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Namibia was 47.0% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 47.0% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Namibia rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Namibia ranks 146th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.