Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia
Namibia: Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 was 55.4% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia, 1960–2018
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia is 55.4%, measured in 2018.
The figure is down 0.4% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia peaked at 58.6% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 24.9%, in 1960.
That places Namibia 96th out of 194 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 24.9% | — |
| 1991 | 49.0% | +97.2% |
| 1994 | 48.2% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 46.9% | -2.7% |
| 2000 | 47.5% | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 49.3% | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 40.8% | -17.3% |
| 2008 | 49.9% | +22.3% |
| 2010 | 55.1% | +10.4% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 58.6% | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 57.2% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 55.6% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 55.4% | -0.4% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 55.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 47.6%, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 55.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.6%, 96% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +97.2% | 24.9% | 49.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 24.9% | 24.9% | 24.9% | 1 |
| 1990s | 48.0% | 46.9% | 49.0% | 3 |
| 2000s | 46.9% | 40.8% | 49.9% | 4 |
| 2010s | 55.9% | 53.1% | 58.6% | 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 labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia?
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 in Namibia was 55.4% in 2018, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 58.6% in 2013.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.9% in 1960.
- How does Namibia rank for female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025?
- Namibia ranks 96th out of 194 countries with data for 2018.
- Is female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025 rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. 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 labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2025. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 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 economically active (employed or unemployed). Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.