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Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about Namibia economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends.
Namibia’s fortunes may be about to change dramatically, as recent surveys have shown its offshore geology could rival the biggest oil discoveries of recent years. But even without its oil prospects, Namibia has quietly established itself as an attractive investment destination. A recent Bloomberg Markets study placed Namibia among the world’s 20 most attractive emerging markets from an investment standpoint.
USD 2.1 billion (2018)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
USD 13.8 billion (2018, estimate)
Intl$ 2971 billion (2018, estimate)
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* |
| 6.4% | 6.1% | 0.6% | -0.9% | -0.1% |
*Estimate
(2018 estimate)
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* |
| 3.4% | 6.7% | 6.1% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
*Estimate
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* |
| 39.9% | 42.6% | 41% | 45.8% | 49.2% |
*Estimate
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018* | 2019* |
| -7.9% | -8.6% | -4.7% | -4.9% | -5.5% |
*Estimate
Standard & Poor's: N/A
Moody's: Ba1
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (Updated 2017)
-2.1 % (2018 estimate)
38.7% (2018)
0.03% (2018)
0.02% (2015)
Diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, white fish and mollusks
Foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 801 million | USD 432 million | USD 1,078 million |
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| USD 13 million | USD 58 million | USD -55 million |
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
N/A
N/A
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm.
Overall ranking: 108 out of 190 countries (2017)
Subcategories:
Starting a business: 170 out of 190 countries
Enforcing Contracts: 98 out of 190 countries
Registering Property: 174 out of 190 countries
Getting Credit: 62 out of 190 countries
Protecting Minority Investors: 81 out of 190 countries
Trading Across Borders: 127 out of 190 countries
Paying Taxes: 74 out of 190 countries
Dealing with Construction Permits: 67 out of 190 countries
Getting Electricity: 124 out of 190 countries
Resolving Insolvency: 97 out of 190 countries
84 out of 138 countries
(2016-2017)
Ranking: 81 / Score: 61.85 (Moderately free) (2016)
(100=totally free 0=totally repressed)
Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4% (common language of most of the population), Herero languages 9.2%, Zambezi languages 4.9%, English (official) 2.3%, other African languages 1.5%, other European languages
Christian 80% to 90% (at least 50% Lutheran), indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010* | 2015* | 2021* |
| 1.4 million | 1.8 million | 2.1 million | 2.3 million | 2.5 million |
*Estimate
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2018 |
| 17.9% | 25.1% | 32.4% | 50% |
Total population: 81.9%
Male: 79.2%
Female: 84.5%
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.)
29.6% (last available estimate, 2015)
59.1 (last available estimate, 2015)
Political Rights: 3
Civil Liberties: 2 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
Fixed: 6.9%
Mobile: 112.7% (2018)
(fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)