Urban area over the long-term in Namibia

Namibia: Urban area over the long-term was 563.77 km² per grid cell in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
563.77 km² per grid cell
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
119th
of 202 countries
All-time high
563.77 km² per grid cell
in 2025
All-time low
0.0006 km² per grid cell
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025

Urban area over the long-term in Namibia, 1000–2025

0200400600100015122025

Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in km² per grid cell.

Analysis

In 2025, urban area over the long-term in Namibia stood at 563.77 km² per grid cell. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.

The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 37.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, urban area over the long-term in Namibia peaked at 563.77 km² per grid cell in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0006 km² per grid cell, in 1000.

Namibia ranks 119th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Urban area over the long-term in Namibia, year by year

Annual values for Urban area over the long-term in Namibia, 1000 to 2025.
Year km² per grid cell Change
1000 0.0006 km² per grid cell
1100 0.002 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1200 0.0064 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1300 0.0205 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1400 0.066 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1500 0.2127 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1600 0.6854 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1700 2.21 km² per grid cell +222.2%
1710 2.45 km² per grid cell +10.8%
1720 2.64 km² per grid cell +7.7%
1730 2.84 km² per grid cell +7.7%
1740 3.06 km² per grid cell +7.7%
1750 3.29 km² per grid cell +7.6%
1760 3.54 km² per grid cell +7.6%
1770 3.81 km² per grid cell +7.6%
1780 4.09 km² per grid cell +7.5%
1790 4.4 km² per grid cell +7.5%
1800 4.73 km² per grid cell +7.4%
1810 5.08 km² per grid cell +7.4%
1820 5.45 km² per grid cell +7.4%
1830 5.85 km² per grid cell +7.3%
1840 6.28 km² per grid cell +7.3%
1850 6.73 km² per grid cell +7.2%
1860 8.15 km² per grid cell +21.1%
1870 9.87 km² per grid cell +21.1%
1880 11.95 km² per grid cell +21.1%
1890 14.45 km² per grid cell +20.9%
1900 17.35 km² per grid cell +20.1%
1910 21.65 km² per grid cell +24.8%
1920 25.16 km² per grid cell +16.2%
1930 27.84 km² per grid cell +10.6%
1940 27.94 km² per grid cell +0.4%
1950 28.58 km² per grid cell +2.3%
1951 29.23 km² per grid cell +2.3%
1952 29.95 km² per grid cell +2.5%
1953 30.73 km² per grid cell +2.6%
1954 31.58 km² per grid cell +2.8%
1955 32.5 km² per grid cell +2.9%
1956 33.49 km² per grid cell +3.1%
1957 34.56 km² per grid cell +3.2%
1958 35.72 km² per grid cell +3.4%
1959 36.98 km² per grid cell +3.5%
1960 38.35 km² per grid cell +3.7%
1961 39.65 km² per grid cell +3.4%
1962 41.03 km² per grid cell +3.5%
1963 42.53 km² per grid cell +3.7%
1964 44.15 km² per grid cell +3.8%
1965 45.92 km² per grid cell +4.0%
1966 47.82 km² per grid cell +4.1%
1967 49.88 km² per grid cell +4.3%
1968 52.14 km² per grid cell +4.5%
1969 54.62 km² per grid cell +4.8%
1970 57.3 km² per grid cell +4.9%
1971 59.68 km² per grid cell +4.2%
1972 62.36 km² per grid cell +4.5%
1973 65.21 km² per grid cell +4.6%
1974 68.05 km² per grid cell +4.4%
1975 70.76 km² per grid cell +4.0%
1976 73.6 km² per grid cell +4.0%
1977 76.36 km² per grid cell +3.7%
1978 79.09 km² per grid cell +3.6%
1979 81.9 km² per grid cell +3.5%
1980 84.88 km² per grid cell +3.6%
1981 87.48 km² per grid cell +3.1%
1982 90.13 km² per grid cell +3.0%
1983 93.29 km² per grid cell +3.5%
1984 97.49 km² per grid cell +4.5%
1985 103.09 km² per grid cell +5.7%
1986 108.05 km² per grid cell +4.8%
1987 114.45 km² per grid cell +5.9%
1988 121.8 km² per grid cell +6.4%
1989 129.31 km² per grid cell +6.2%
1990 136.38 km² per grid cell +5.5%
1991 143.28 km² per grid cell +5.1%
1992 150.43 km² per grid cell +5.0%
1993 157.68 km² per grid cell +4.8%
1994 165.17 km² per grid cell +4.8%
1995 173.25 km² per grid cell +4.9%
1996 181.88 km² per grid cell +5.0%
1997 191.05 km² per grid cell +5.0%
1998 200.47 km² per grid cell +4.9%
1999 209.65 km² per grid cell +4.6%
2000 218.26 km² per grid cell +4.1%
2001 228.54 km² per grid cell +4.7%
2002 238.42 km² per grid cell +4.3%
2003 248.06 km² per grid cell +4.0%
2004 257.73 km² per grid cell +3.9%
2005 267.68 km² per grid cell +3.9%
2006 277.94 km² per grid cell +3.8%
2007 288.54 km² per grid cell +3.8%
2008 299.71 km² per grid cell +3.9%
2009 311.76 km² per grid cell +4.0%
2010 341.39 km² per grid cell +9.5%
2011 354.64 km² per grid cell +3.9%
2012 368.2 km² per grid cell +3.8%
2013 382.07 km² per grid cell +3.8%
2014 396.25 km² per grid cell +3.7%
2015 410.73 km² per grid cell +3.7%
2016 425.51 km² per grid cell +3.6%
2017 440.59 km² per grid cell +3.5%
2018 455.97 km² per grid cell +3.5%
2019 471.63 km² per grid cell +3.4%
2020 487.59 km² per grid cell +3.4%
2021 502.39 km² per grid cell +3.0%
2022 517.41 km² per grid cell +3.0%
2023 532.65 km² per grid cell +2.9%
2024 548.1 km² per grid cell +2.9%
2025 563.77 km² per grid cell +2.9%

Namibia compared with similar countries

  • Namibia's 563.77 km² per grid cell is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 837.49 km² per grid cell, 67% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
  • Namibia's 563.77 km² per grid cell is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 733.88 km² per grid cell, 77% of the median. (46 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Urban area over the long-term in Namibia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1100 +222.2% 0.0006 km² per grid cell 0.002 km² per grid cell
1200 +222.2% 0.002 km² per grid cell 0.0064 km² per grid cell
1300 +222.2% 0.0064 km² per grid cell 0.0205 km² per grid cell
1400 +222.2% 0.0205 km² per grid cell 0.066 km² per grid cell
1500 +222.2% 0.066 km² per grid cell 0.2127 km² per grid cell
1600 +222.2% 0.2127 km² per grid cell 0.6854 km² per grid cell

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1000s 0.0006 km² per grid cell 0.0006 km² per grid cell 0.0006 km² per grid cell 1
1100s 0.002 km² per grid cell 0.002 km² per grid cell 0.002 km² per grid cell 1
1200s 0.0064 km² per grid cell 0.0064 km² per grid cell 0.0064 km² per grid cell 1
1300s 0.0205 km² per grid cell 0.0205 km² per grid cell 0.0205 km² per grid cell 1
1400s 0.066 km² per grid cell 0.066 km² per grid cell 0.066 km² per grid cell 1
1500s 0.2127 km² per grid cell 0.2127 km² per grid cell 0.2127 km² per grid cell 1
1600s 0.6854 km² per grid cell 0.6854 km² per grid cell 0.6854 km² per grid cell 1
1700s 2.21 km² per grid cell 2.21 km² per grid cell 2.21 km² per grid cell 1
1710s 2.45 km² per grid cell 2.45 km² per grid cell 2.45 km² per grid cell 1
1720s 2.64 km² per grid cell 2.64 km² per grid cell 2.64 km² per grid cell 1
1730s 2.84 km² per grid cell 2.84 km² per grid cell 2.84 km² per grid cell 1
1740s 3.06 km² per grid cell 3.06 km² per grid cell 3.06 km² per grid cell 1
1750s 3.29 km² per grid cell 3.29 km² per grid cell 3.29 km² per grid cell 1
1760s 3.54 km² per grid cell 3.54 km² per grid cell 3.54 km² per grid cell 1
1770s 3.81 km² per grid cell 3.81 km² per grid cell 3.81 km² per grid cell 1
1780s 4.09 km² per grid cell 4.09 km² per grid cell 4.09 km² per grid cell 1
1790s 4.4 km² per grid cell 4.4 km² per grid cell 4.4 km² per grid cell 1
1800s 4.73 km² per grid cell 4.73 km² per grid cell 4.73 km² per grid cell 1
1810s 5.08 km² per grid cell 5.08 km² per grid cell 5.08 km² per grid cell 1
1820s 5.45 km² per grid cell 5.45 km² per grid cell 5.45 km² per grid cell 1
1830s 5.85 km² per grid cell 5.85 km² per grid cell 5.85 km² per grid cell 1
1840s 6.28 km² per grid cell 6.28 km² per grid cell 6.28 km² per grid cell 1
1850s 6.73 km² per grid cell 6.73 km² per grid cell 6.73 km² per grid cell 1
1860s 8.15 km² per grid cell 8.15 km² per grid cell 8.15 km² per grid cell 1
1870s 9.87 km² per grid cell 9.87 km² per grid cell 9.87 km² per grid cell 1
1880s 11.95 km² per grid cell 11.95 km² per grid cell 11.95 km² per grid cell 1
1890s 14.45 km² per grid cell 14.45 km² per grid cell 14.45 km² per grid cell 1
1900s 17.35 km² per grid cell 17.35 km² per grid cell 17.35 km² per grid cell 1
1910s 21.65 km² per grid cell 21.65 km² per grid cell 21.65 km² per grid cell 1
1920s 25.16 km² per grid cell 25.16 km² per grid cell 25.16 km² per grid cell 1
1930s 27.84 km² per grid cell 27.84 km² per grid cell 27.84 km² per grid cell 1
1940s 27.94 km² per grid cell 27.94 km² per grid cell 27.94 km² per grid cell 1
1950s 32.33 km² per grid cell 28.58 km² per grid cell 36.98 km² per grid cell 10
1960s 45.61 km² per grid cell 38.35 km² per grid cell 54.62 km² per grid cell 10
1970s 69.43 km² per grid cell 57.3 km² per grid cell 81.9 km² per grid cell 10
1980s 103 km² per grid cell 84.88 km² per grid cell 129.31 km² per grid cell 10
1990s 170.92 km² per grid cell 136.38 km² per grid cell 209.65 km² per grid cell 10
2000s 263.67 km² per grid cell 218.26 km² per grid cell 311.76 km² per grid cell 10
2010s 404.7 km² per grid cell 341.39 km² per grid cell 471.63 km² per grid cell 10
2020s 525.32 km² per grid cell 487.59 km² per grid cell 563.77 km² per grid cell 6

Countries ranked near Namibia

  1. 116 Paraguay 613.64 km² per grid cell compare
  2. 117 Lithuania 603.33 km² per grid cell compare
  3. 118 Somalia 597.81 km² per grid cell compare
  4. 120 Senegal 563.31 km² per grid cell compare
  5. 121 El Salvador 539.22 km² per grid cell compare
  6. 122 Western Sahara 526.56 km² per grid cell compare

See the full ranking of 202 places →

More reference data data for Namibia

All data for Namibia →

Frequently asked questions

What is urban area over the long-term in Namibia?
Urban area over the long-term in Namibia was 563.77 km² per grid cell in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest urban area over the long-term recorded in Namibia?
The highest recorded value was 563.77 km² per grid cell in 2025.
What is the lowest urban area over the long-term recorded in Namibia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0006 km² per grid cell in 1000.
How does Namibia rank for urban area over the long-term?
Namibia ranks 119th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
Is urban area over the long-term rising or falling in Namibia?
Over the last ten years it is up 37.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Namibia data come from?
The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban area over the long-term. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Urban area over the long-term in Namibia. Statizoid, drawing on HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/urban-area-long-term/namibia/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/urban-area-long-term/namibia/">Urban area over the long-term in Namibia</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Urban area over the long-term
Unit
km² per grid cell
Source
HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
202 places, 21,816 data points, 1000–2025
Last refreshed

Total built-up area of a country over time.