Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Namibia

Namibia: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 19.9% in 2018. ▬ Flat

Latest (2018)
19.9%
Change on year
down 14.9%
World rank
6th
of 185 countries
All-time high
37.6%
in 2008
All-time low
16.8%
in 2012
Years of data
13
1991–2018

Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Namibia, 1991–2018

0102030401991200420181991: 19.1 %1994: 19.4 %1997: 19.5 %2000: 20.3 %2001: 31.2 %2004: 22.1 %2008: 37.6 %2010: 22.1 %2012: 16.8 %2013: 19 %2014: 18.5 %2016: 23.4 %2018: 19.9 %

Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Namibia stood at 19.9%.

The figure is down 14.9% on the previous year and down 47.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Namibia peaked at 37.6% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 16.8%, in 2012.

That places Namibia 6th out of 185 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 19.3% 19.1% 19.5% 3
2000s 27.8% 20.3% 37.6% 4
2010s 19.9% 16.8% 23.4% 6

Countries ranked near Namibia

  1. 3 Palestine 28.7% compare
  2. 4 Botswana 24.4% compare
  3. 5 French Polynesia 21.8% compare
  4. 7 Curacao 19.1% compare
  5. 8 Lesotho 18.7% compare
  6. 9 Jordan 16.8% compare

See the full ranking of 185 places →

More reference data data for Namibia

All data for Namibia →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Namibia?
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in Namibia was 19.9% in 2018, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Namibia?
The highest recorded value was 37.6% in 2008.
What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in Namibia?
The lowest recorded value was 16.8% in 2012.
How does Namibia rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
Namibia ranks 6th out of 185 countries with data for 2018.
Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in Namibia?
Over the last ten years it is down 47.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Namibia data come from?
The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates
Unit
%
Source
Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
185 places, 5,169 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.