Rural population growth in Namibia
Namibia: Rural population growth was 1.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Namibia, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population growth in Namibia is 1.1%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 15.5% on the previous year and down 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Namibia peaked at 6.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, -0.4%, in 2006.
Namibia ranks 49th of 207 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.2% | 1.6% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 2.6% | 1.5% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.8% | 1.0% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.5% | 1.4% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | -0.4% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.1% | -0.1% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.6% | 1.1% | 2.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 46 Guinea-Bissau 1.2% compare
- 47 Cote d'Ivoire 1.1% compare
- 48 Togo 1.1% compare
- 50 Senegal 1.1% compare
- 51 East Timor 1.1% compare
- 52 Djibouti 1.0% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Namibia
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
- Rural population 49.1% (2025)
- Rural population 1.52 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 7.0% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.05 billion current US$ (2025)
- Land under cereal production 339,089 hectares (2023)
- Cereal yield 451.2 kg per hectare (2023)
- Cereal production 153,012 metric tons (2023)
- Fertilizer consumption 27.07 kilograms per hectare of arable land (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Namibia?
- Rural population growth in Namibia was 1.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.4% in 2006.
- How does Namibia rank for rural population growth?
- Namibia ranks 49th out of 207 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.