Female employment rate in Namibia
Namibia: Female employment rate was 45.1% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Female employment rate in Namibia, 1991–2018
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female employment rate in Namibia is 45.1%, measured in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.1% on the previous year and up 58.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female employment rate in Namibia peaked at 46.5% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 28.4%, in 2008.
Namibia ranks 115th of 172 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Female employment rate in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 33.5% | — |
| 1994 | 38.0% | +13.3% |
| 1997 | 37.1% | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 37.4% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 31.6% | -15.5% |
| 2004 | 30.6% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 28.4% | -7.2% |
| 2010 | 41.9% | +47.5% |
| 2012 | 43.1% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 46.5% | +8.1% |
| 2014 | 45.6% | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 41.7% | -8.4% |
| 2018 | 45.1% | +8.1% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 45.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 45.1%, 1.0× the median. (36 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 45.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 56.1%, 80% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.2% | 33.5% | 38.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 32.0% | 28.4% | 37.4% | 4 |
| 2010s | 44.0% | 41.7% | 46.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More work & labour data for Namibia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.0916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.0906 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.0929 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3746 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 1.88 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 3,116 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 1,223 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 3,070 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,828 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,898 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is female employment rate in Namibia?
- Female employment rate in Namibia was 45.1% in 2018, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female employment rate recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.5% in 2013.
- What is the lowest female employment rate recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.4% in 2008.
- How does Namibia rank for female employment rate?
- Namibia ranks 115th out of 172 countries with data for 2018.
- Is female employment rate rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the female working-age population who are employed. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.