Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) in Namibia
Namibia: Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) was 44.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
44.2%
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
81st
of 214 countries
All-time high
77.7%
in 1970
All-time low
44.2%
in 2024
Years of data
55
1970–2024
Rural population in Namibia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
In 2024, rural population in Namibia stood at 44.2%. That is the lowest value across all 55 years on record.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 18.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Namibia peaked at 77.7% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 44.2%, in 2024.
Namibia ranks 81st of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (UNESCO Institute) in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 77.7% | — |
| 1971 | 77.4% | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 77.2% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 76.9% | -0.4% |
| 1974 | 76.6% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 76.3% | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 76.1% | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 75.8% | -0.4% |
| 1978 | 75.5% | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 75.2% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 74.9% | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 74.6% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 74.4% | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 74.1% | -0.3% |
| 1984 | 73.9% | -0.3% |
| 1985 | 73.6% | -0.3% |
| 1986 | 73.4% | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 73.1% | -0.3% |
| 1988 | 72.9% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 72.6% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 72.3% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 72.1% | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 71.7% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 71.2% | -0.7% |
| 1994 | 70.7% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 70.2% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 69.7% | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 69.2% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 68.7% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 68.1% | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 67.6% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 67.1% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 66.2% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 65.3% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 64.3% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 63.4% | -1.5% |
| 2006 | 62.4% | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 61.4% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 60.4% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 59.4% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 58.4% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 57.4% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 56.3% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 55.2% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 54.2% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 53.1% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 52.0% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 51.0% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 50.0% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 49.0% | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 48.0% | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 47.0% | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 46.0% | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 45.1% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 44.2% | -2.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 44.2% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 53.1%, 83% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 44.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 54.5%, 81% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 76.5% | 75.2% | 77.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 73.8% | 72.6% | 74.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 70.4% | 68.1% | 72.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.8% | 59.4% | 67.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 53.7% | 49.0% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 46.1% | 44.2% | 48.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
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)
- Population growth rate 0.091 (2100)
- Population density 7.16 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 357,079 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Namibia?
- Rural population in Namibia was 44.2% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 77.7% in 1970.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.2% in 2024.
- How does Namibia rank for rural population?
- Namibia ranks 81st out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release