Labor force participation rate in Namibia
Namibia: Labor force participation rate was 58.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate in Namibia, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Namibia stood at 58.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Namibia peaked at 61.7% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 53.5%, in 1997.
That places Namibia 112th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 54.5% | 53.5% | 55.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.4% | 54.1% | 56.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.3% | 57.0% | 61.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.0% | 56.0% | 58.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More work & labour data for Namibia
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 0 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 58.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 63.0% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 54.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 60.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 63.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 56.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Namibia?
- Labor force participation rate in Namibia was 58.8% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 61.7% in 2013.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.5% in 1997.
- How does Namibia rank for labor force participation rate?
- Namibia ranks 112th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).