Namibia — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Namibia, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Namibia was 2.05% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.35% in 1989. The lowest was 1.12% in 1981 (about 1.8× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.08% per year.
Namibia ranks 46 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 21%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Namibia sits below it. It peaked in 1989 and has fallen 68% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 23%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 33 of 48 economies; Sierra Leone (2.04%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 80% in 1989. That is 23% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1989.
World ranking. Climbed: 134th of 216 in 1961 → 51st of 216 in 1970 → 117th of 216 in 1980 → 5th of 216 in 1990 → 55th of 217 in 2000 → 87th of 217 in 2010 → 15th of 217 in 2020 → 46th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.05% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 2.24% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 2.51% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 2.78% | -0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 2.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 2.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 2019 | 2.8% | +0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 2.77% | +0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 2.74% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 2.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 2.65% | +0.0 pp |
| 2014 | 2.61% | +0.0 pp |
| 2013 | 2.6% | +0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 2.23% | +0.5 pp |
| 2011 | 1.72% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 1.55% | +0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 1.47% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 1.4% | +0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 1.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 1.28% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 1.25% | -0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 1.28% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 1.44% | -0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 1.76% | -0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 2.09% | -0.3 pp |
| 2000 | 2.35% | -0.1 pp |
| 1999 | 2.49% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 2.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 2.59% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 2.71% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 2.9% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 3.11% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 3.19% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 3.17% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 3.33% | -2.7 pp |
| 1990 | 6.05% | -0.3 pp |
| 1989 | 6.35% | +2.8 pp |
| 1988 | 3.52% | +0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 3.2% | +0.1 pp |
| 1986 | 3.07% | +0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 2.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 2.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 2.66% | +0.9 pp |
| 1982 | 1.78% | +0.7 pp |
| 1981 | 1.12% | -0.8 pp |
| 1980 | 1.91% | +0.3 pp |
| 1979 | 1.63% | -0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 1.72% | -0.9 pp |
| 1977 | 2.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 2.86% | -0.2 pp |
| 1975 | 3.08% | +0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 3.02% | +0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 3% | -0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 3.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 1971 | 2.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 2.91% | +0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 2.84% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 2.76% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 2.68% | +0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 2.56% | +0.1 pp |
| 1965 | 2.46% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 2.35% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 2.22% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 2.08% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 1.94% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Namibia’s Population growth in 1962?
2.08% (1962). 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 annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Namibia’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +5.4% in total — about 0.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. 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: 2.05%; 2024: 2.24%; 2023: 2.51%; 2022: 2.78%; 2021: 2.95%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). 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.