Namibia — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Namibia, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Namibia was 58.84% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 61.70% in 2013. The lowest was 53.50% in 1997 (about 1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.19% per year.
Namibia ranks 112 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 60%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Namibia sits below it. It peaked in 2013 and has fallen 5% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 3%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 30 of 47 economies; Mauritius (58.55%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 7% in 2013.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 141st of 187 in 1990 → 142nd of 187 in 2000 → 127th of 187 in 2010 → 125th of 187 in 2020 → 111th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 58.84% | -0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 58.87% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 58.9% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 58.91% | +2.4 pp |
| 2021 | 56.48% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 55.98% | -2.9 pp |
| 2019 | 58.92% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 58.88% | -0.8 pp |
| 2017 | 59.67% | -0.8 pp |
| 2016 | 60.45% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 60.64% | -0.2 pp |
| 2014 | 60.83% | -0.9 pp |
| 2013 | 61.7% | +4.2 pp |
| 2012 | 57.53% | +0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 57.25% | +0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 56.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 56.69% | +0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 56.41% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 56.12% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 55.84% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 55.56% | +0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 55.27% | +0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 54.99% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 54.7% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 54.42% | +0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 54.13% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 53.92% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 53.71% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 53.5% | -0.5 pp |
| 1996 | 54.03% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 54.55% | -0.5 pp |
| 1994 | 55.08% | -0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 55.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 55.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 55.1% | -0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 55.12% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Namibia’s Labor participation in 1991?
55.1% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Namibia’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +6.8% in total — about 0.2% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 58.84%; 2024: 58.87%; 2023: 58.9%; 2022: 58.91%; 2021: 56.48%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.