Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Namibia
Namibia: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 41.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Namibia, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 41.8% for share of population living in urban and rural areas in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Namibia peaked at 41.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 20.1%, in 1955.
That places Namibia 217th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 20.1% | — |
| 1955 | 20.1% | -0.0% |
| 1960 | 20.3% | +1.1% |
| 1965 | 21.0% | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 22.1% | +5.6% |
| 1975 | 23.6% | +6.5% |
| 1980 | 24.4% | +3.5% |
| 1985 | 26.7% | +9.5% |
| 1990 | 27.0% | +1.0% |
| 1995 | 29.2% | +8.2% |
| 2000 | 31.9% | +9.4% |
| 2005 | 34.2% | +7.2% |
| 2010 | 37.4% | +9.2% |
| 2015 | 40.5% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 41.8% | +3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 20.1% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 20.6% | 20.3% | 21.0% | 2 |
| 1970s | 22.9% | 22.1% | 23.6% | 2 |
| 1980s | 25.6% | 24.4% | 26.7% | 2 |
| 1990s | 28.1% | 27.0% | 29.2% | 2 |
| 2000s | 33.1% | 31.9% | 34.2% | 2 |
| 2010s | 38.9% | 37.4% | 40.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 41.8% | 41.8% | 41.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 214 Madagascar 42.9% compare
- 215 Greenland 42.5% compare
- 216 Saint Kitts and Nevis 42.2% compare
- 218 Palau 39.3% compare
- 219 Faroe Islands 37.8% compare
- 220 Lesotho 37.7% compare
More reference data data for Namibia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0579 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0157 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1306 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0853 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Namibia?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Namibia was 41.8% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 41.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.1% in 1955.
- How does Namibia rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Namibia ranks 217th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.