Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Namibia
Namibia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 1.8 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
1.8 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
212th
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.8 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.1732 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Namibia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 1.8 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 49.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Namibia peaked at 1.8 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.1732 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Namibia ranks 212th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Namibia, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.1732 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.1784 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 0.1838 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 0.1896 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 0.1955 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 0.2017 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 0.2083 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 0.2151 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 0.2222 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 0.2296 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 0.2373 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 0.2453 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 0.2535 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1974 | 0.2619 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 0.2708 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 0.2794 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 0.2876 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 0.2934 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 0.299 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 0.3056 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 0.3099 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 0.3165 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 0.3262 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 0.3364 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 0.3477 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 0.3602 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 0.3739 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 0.3895 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 0.4177 people per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1990 | 0.4469 people per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 0.4655 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 0.485 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 0.5073 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 0.5318 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 0.558 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 0.5854 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 0.6143 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 0.6449 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 0.6769 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 0.7095 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 0.7411 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 0.7724 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 0.8046 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 0.8383 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 0.8739 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 0.9114 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 0.9504 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 0.9904 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 1.03 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 1.07 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 1.11 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 1.16 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 1.21 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 1.26 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 1.31 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 1.37 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 1.43 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 1.48 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 1.55 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 1.61 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 1.67 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 1.74 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 1.8 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 1.8 people per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.53 people per square kilometre, 5% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 1.8 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 6% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1964 people per square kilometre | 0.1732 people per square kilometre | 0.2222 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.2658 people per square kilometre | 0.2296 people per square kilometre | 0.299 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3484 people per square kilometre | 0.3056 people per square kilometre | 0.4177 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.5516 people per square kilometre | 0.4469 people per square kilometre | 0.6769 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8623 people per square kilometre | 0.7095 people per square kilometre | 1.03 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.29 people per square kilometre | 1.07 people per square kilometre | 1.55 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.71 people per square kilometre | 1.61 people per square kilometre | 1.8 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 209 Botswana 2.93 people per square kilometre compare
- 210 Mauritania 2.91 people per square kilometre compare
- 211 Suriname 2.58 people per square kilometre compare
- 213 Mongolia 1.55 people per square kilometre compare
- 214 Guyana 1.04 people per square kilometre compare
- 215 Greenland 0.12 people per square kilometre 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 number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Namibia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Namibia was 1.8 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.8 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1732 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Namibia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Namibia ranks 212th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.