Rural population growth (annual %) in Namibia
Namibia: Rural population growth (annual %) 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 210 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth (annual %) in Namibia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.6% | — |
| 1962 | 1.8% | +11.3% |
| 1963 | 2.0% | +9.0% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | +7.5% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | +6.3% |
| 1966 | 2.4% | +5.3% |
| 1967 | 2.5% | +5.9% |
| 1968 | 2.6% | +4.1% |
| 1969 | 2.7% | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 2.8% | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 2.9% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 2.9% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 2.9% | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 3.0% | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 2.8% | -7.3% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -6.7% |
| 1978 | 1.6% | -36.8% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | -5.9% |
| 1980 | 1.8% | +18.2% |
| 1981 | 1.0% | -44.0% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +63.6% |
| 1983 | 2.5% | +52.0% |
| 1984 | 2.6% | +1.5% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | +5.2% |
| 1986 | 2.9% | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | +3.9% |
| 1988 | 3.3% | +9.7% |
| 1989 | 6.1% | +84.8% |
| 1990 | 5.8% | -5.3% |
| 1991 | 3.1% | -47.3% |
| 1992 | 2.8% | -7.4% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | -8.2% |
| 1995 | 2.2% | -13.0% |
| 1996 | 1.9% | -14.1% |
| 1997 | 1.6% | -11.0% |
| 1998 | 1.5% | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -6.9% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | -11.6% |
| 2001 | 1.0% | -21.3% |
| 2002 | 0.6% | -42.0% |
| 2003 | 0.1% | -86.4% |
| 2004 | -0.2% | -415.6% |
| 2005 | -0.4% | +57.7% |
| 2006 | -0.4% | +14.6% |
| 2007 | -0.4% | -3.0% |
| 2008 | -0.4% | -16.7% |
| 2009 | -0.2% | -34.2% |
| 2010 | -0.1% | -76.0% |
| 2011 | 0.3% | -579.4% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | +230.2% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | +43.9% |
| 2014 | 1.3% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 1.4% | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 1.5% | +5.2% |
| 2017 | 1.5% | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 1.6% | +5.0% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | +9.6% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 1.8% | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 1.7% | -9.9% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -20.3% |
| 2025 | 1.1% | -15.5% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 1.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.9%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 1.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.2%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +579.4% | -0.1% | 0.3% |
| 2004 | -415.6% | 0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2012 | +230.2% | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| 2003 | -86.4% | 0.6% | 0.1% |
| 1989 | +84.8% | 3.3% | 6.1% |
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
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0699 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 340.78 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4913 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 7.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 7.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
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 210 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.