Urban population in Namibia
Namibia: Urban population was 1.57 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Namibia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
Namibia recorded 1.57 million for urban population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 45.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Namibia peaked at 1.57 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 138,374, in 1960.
That places Namibia 143rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 138,374 | — |
| 1961 | 142,557 | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 146,852 | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 151,352 | +3.1% |
| 1964 | 156,056 | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 160,966 | +3.1% |
| 1966 | 166,084 | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 171,471 | +3.2% |
| 1968 | 177,087 | +3.3% |
| 1969 | 182,935 | +3.3% |
| 1970 | 189,041 | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 195,364 | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 201,945 | +3.4% |
| 1973 | 208,694 | +3.3% |
| 1974 | 215,660 | +3.3% |
| 1975 | 222,969 | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 229,999 | +3.2% |
| 1977 | 236,807 | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 241,523 | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 246,129 | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 251,578 | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 255,168 | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 260,583 | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 268,543 | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 276,987 | +3.1% |
| 1985 | 286,240 | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 296,565 | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 307,824 | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 320,694 | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 343,888 | +7.2% |
| 1990 | 367,893 | +7.0% |
| 1991 | 383,248 | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 399,296 | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 417,619 | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 437,856 | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 459,360 | +4.9% |
| 1996 | 481,933 | +4.9% |
| 1997 | 505,743 | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 530,943 | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 557,289 | +5.0% |
| 2000 | 584,093 | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 610,180 | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 635,898 | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 662,407 | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 690,131 | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 719,513 | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 750,388 | +4.3% |
| 2007 | 782,479 | +4.3% |
| 2008 | 815,400 | +4.2% |
| 2009 | 848,667 | +4.1% |
| 2010 | 881,787 | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 914,927 | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 952,050 | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 993,597 | +4.4% |
| 2014 | 1.04 million | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 1.08 million | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 1.13 million | +4.2% |
| 2017 | 1.17 million | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 1.22 million | +4.1% |
| 2019 | 1.27 million | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 1.32 million | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 1.38 million | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 1.43 million | +3.8% |
| 2023 | 1.48 million | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 1.53 million | +3.2% |
| 2025 | 1.57 million | +3.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 1.57 million is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.62 million, 24% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 1.57 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million, 33% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 159,373 | 138,374 | 182,935 | 10 |
| 1970s | 218,813 | 189,041 | 246,129 | 10 |
| 1980s | 286,807 | 251,578 | 343,888 | 10 |
| 1990s | 454,118 | 367,893 | 557,289 | 10 |
| 2000s | 709,916 | 584,093 | 848,667 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.07 million | 881,787 | 1.27 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.45 million | 1.32 million | 1.57 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More climate change data for Namibia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 5.64 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,137 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,753 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 3,384 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.62 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 120.84 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 57.2 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 54.43 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.2054 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Namibia?
- Urban population in Namibia was 1.57 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.57 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 138,374 in 1960.
- How does Namibia rank for urban population?
- Namibia ranks 143rd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.6%. 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 Urban population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.