Rural population, per square kilometre in Namibia
Namibia: Rural population, per square kilometre was 1.8 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.8 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
191st
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.8 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.5594 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Rural population, per square kilometre in Namibia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, rural population, per square kilometre in Namibia stood at 1.8 units per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 17.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, per square kilometre in Namibia peaked at 1.8 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.5594 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
Namibia ranks 191st of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Rural population, per square kilometre in Namibia, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.5594 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.5696 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 0.5809 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 0.5933 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 0.6068 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 0.6214 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 0.6372 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 0.654 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 0.6719 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 0.6909 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 0.7108 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 0.7318 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1973 | 0.7534 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 0.7757 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 0.7993 units per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 0.8218 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 0.8433 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1978 | 0.8572 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 0.8705 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 0.8865 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 0.8956 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 0.9106 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 0.934 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 0.9584 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 0.9846 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 1.01 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 1.04 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 1.08 units per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 1.15 units per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1990 | 1.22 units per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 1.25 units per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 1.29 units per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 1.33 units per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 1.36 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 1.39 units per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 1.41 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 1.44 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 1.46 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 1.48 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 1.5 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 1.51 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 1.52 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 1.52 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 1.52 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.51 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 1.51 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 1.5 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 1.5 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 1.49 units per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 1.49 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.5 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 1.51 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 1.53 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 1.55 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 1.57 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 1.59 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 1.62 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 1.65 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 1.67 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 1.71 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 1.74 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 1.77 units per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 1.8 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 1.8 units per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.64 units per square kilometre, 4% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 1.8 units per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.51 units per square kilometre, 5% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.6105 units per square kilometre | 0.5594 units per square kilometre | 0.6719 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.7855 units per square kilometre | 0.6909 units per square kilometre | 0.8705 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9856 units per square kilometre | 0.8865 units per square kilometre | 1.15 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.36 units per square kilometre | 1.22 units per square kilometre | 1.48 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.51 units per square kilometre | 1.49 units per square kilometre | 1.52 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.57 units per square kilometre | 1.49 units per square kilometre | 1.67 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.75 units per square kilometre | 1.71 units per square kilometre | 1.8 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 188 Saudi Arabia 2.46 units per square kilometre compare
- 189 Russia 2.2 units per square kilometre compare
- 190 Mauritania 1.96 units per square kilometre compare
- 192 Qatar 1.66 units per square kilometre compare
- 193 Botswana 1.44 units per square kilometre compare
- 194 Suriname 1.34 units per square kilometre 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, per square kilometre in Namibia?
- Rural population, per square kilometre in Namibia was 1.8 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.8 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest rural population, per square kilometre recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5594 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Namibia rank for rural population, per square kilometre?
- Namibia ranks 191st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is rural population, per square kilometre rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Rural population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Rural population divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.