Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Namibia
Namibia: Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates was 87.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Namibia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 87.1% for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in 2025.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Namibia peaked at 89.9% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 76.6%, in 2000.
Namibia ranks 46th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 76.8% | — |
| 1991 | 76.9% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 76.9% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 76.9% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 77.0% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 77.0% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 77.0% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 77.0% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 76.9% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 76.7% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 76.6% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 77.3% | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 78.0% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 78.7% | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 79.4% | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 80.1% | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 80.8% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 81.5% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 82.2% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 82.9% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 83.6% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 84.4% | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 85.1% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 89.9% | +5.7% |
| 2014 | 88.3% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 86.3% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 84.3% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 86.3% | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 88.4% | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 88.1% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 87.7% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 88.4% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 86.4% | -2.3% |
| 2023 | 86.7% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 87.0% | +0.4% |
| 2025 | 87.1% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 76.9% | 76.7% | 77.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.8% | 76.6% | 82.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.4% | 83.6% | 89.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.2% | 86.4% | 88.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 43 Netherlands 87.2% compare
- 44 Switzerland 87.2% compare
- 45 Lao People's Democratic Republic 87.2% compare
- 47 Guinea-Bissau 86.6% compare
- 48 Eritrea 86.6% compare
- 49 France 86.4% compare
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 ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Namibia?
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates in Namibia was 87.1% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 89.9% in 2013.
- What is the lowest ratio of female to male labor force participation rates recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 76.6% in 2000.
- How does Namibia rank for ratio of female to male labor force participation rates?
- Namibia ranks 46th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is ratio of female to male labor force participation rates rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Ratio of female to male labor force participation rates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This ratio is calculated by dividing the labor force participation rate among women by the corresponding rate for men. The labor force participation rate is the share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).