Namibia vs South Africa: Employment in agriculture vs. urban population

Namibia
21.5%
in 2023
South Africa
18.8%
in 2023
Namibia rank
82nd
South Africa rank
84th

Employment in agriculture vs. urban population over time

  • Namibia
  • South Africa
1020304050199120072023

How they compare

Namibia currently reports 21.5% against 18.8% in South Africa, a difference of 2.7%.

That makes Namibia's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

Across all 33 years both countries report, Namibia has been ahead every year.

Namibia ranks 82nd and South Africa ranks 84th of 186 countries.

Namibia has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Namibia South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 42.5% 21.6% 20.9% Namibia
2000s 30.7% 18.4% 12.3% Namibia
2010s 26.0% 16.0% 10.0% Namibia
2020s 21.9% 20.2% 1.7% Namibia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher employment in agriculture vs. urban population, Namibia or South Africa?
Namibia, at 21.5% against 18.8% in South Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in employment in agriculture vs. urban population between Namibia and South Africa?
2.7%, with Namibia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Namibia and South Africa?
33 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2023.
How do Namibia and South Africa rank globally for employment in agriculture vs. urban population?
Namibia ranks 82nd and South Africa ranks 84th of 186 countries.
Where does this data come from?
ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data, published as Employment in agriculture vs. urban population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Namibia vs South Africa: Employment in agriculture vs. urban population. Statizoid, drawing on ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/compare/employment-in-agri-vs-urban-pop/namibia/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Employment in agriculture vs. urban population
Unit
%
Source
ILO via World Bank – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 6,134 data points, 1991–2023
Last refreshed

The share of people employed in agriculture includes working-age people with a job in farming, forestry, fishing, and related activities, including those temporarily absent.