Unemployment rate for young people in Namibia
Namibia: Unemployment rate for young people was 38.05 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
38.05
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
10th
of 186 countries
All-time high
46.56
in 1997
All-time low
34.09
in 2012
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate for young people in Namibia, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rate for young people in Namibia stood at 38.05.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate for young people in Namibia peaked at 46.56 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 34.09, in 2012.
That places Namibia 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Unemployment rate for young people in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 34.68 | — |
| 1992 | 34.44 | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 34.88 | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 35.55 | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 39.56 | +11.3% |
| 1996 | 42.94 | +8.5% |
| 1997 | 46.56 | +8.4% |
| 1998 | 44.2 | -5.1% |
| 1999 | 41.71 | -5.6% |
| 2000 | 39.24 | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 40.65 | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 41.74 | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 42.87 | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 43.01 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 43.26 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 43.02 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 43.69 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 43.72 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 44.46 | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 44.53 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 39.37 | -11.6% |
| 2012 | 34.09 | -13.4% |
| 2013 | 40.51 | +18.8% |
| 2014 | 38.73 | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 41.22 | +6.4% |
| 2016 | 44.21 | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 41.47 | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 37.97 | -8.4% |
| 2019 | 38.16 | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 41.51 | +8.8% |
| 2021 | 40.1 | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 37.81 | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 37.13 | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 37.24 | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 38.05 | +2.2% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 38.05 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.12, 3.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 38.05 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8.79, 4.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.39 | 34.44 | 46.56 | 9 |
| 2000s | 42.57 | 39.24 | 44.46 | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.03 | 34.09 | 44.53 | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.64 | 37.13 | 41.51 | 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 unemployment rate for young people in Namibia?
- Unemployment rate for young people in Namibia was 38.05 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.56 in 1997.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate for young people recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.09 in 2012.
- How does Namibia rank for unemployment rate for young people?
- Namibia ranks 10th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate for young people rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate for young people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).