Unemployment rate in Namibia
Namibia: Unemployment rate was 19.29 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
19.29
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
8th
of 186 countries
All-time high
24.45
in 1997
All-time low
16.77
in 2012
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Unemployment rate in Namibia, 1991–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Namibia is 19.29, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and down 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Namibia peaked at 24.45 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 16.77, in 2012.
That places Namibia 8th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 19.14 | — |
| 1992 | 18.9 | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 19.08 | +1.0% |
| 1994 | 19.4 | +1.7% |
| 1995 | 21.34 | +10.0% |
| 1996 | 22.84 | +7.0% |
| 1997 | 24.45 | +7.0% |
| 1998 | 23.08 | -5.6% |
| 1999 | 21.67 | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 20.3 | -6.3% |
| 2001 | 21.01 | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 21.54 | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 22.1 | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 22.09 | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 22.11 | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 21.85 | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 22.12 | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 22 | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 22.27 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 22.12 | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 19.48 | -11.9% |
| 2012 | 16.77 | -13.9% |
| 2013 | 19.03 | +13.5% |
| 2014 | 18.52 | -2.7% |
| 2015 | 20.79 | +12.3% |
| 2016 | 23.35 | +12.3% |
| 2017 | 21.75 | -6.9% |
| 2018 | 19.88 | -8.6% |
| 2019 | 19.93 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 21 | +5.4% |
| 2021 | 20.93 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 19.61 | -6.3% |
| 2023 | 19.15 | -2.4% |
| 2024 | 19.16 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 19.29 | +0.7% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 19.29 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5.06, 3.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 19.29 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.45, 3.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 21.1 | 18.9 | 24.45 | 9 |
| 2000s | 21.74 | 20.3 | 22.27 | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.16 | 16.77 | 23.35 | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.86 | 19.15 | 21 | 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 in Namibia?
- Unemployment rate in Namibia was 19.29 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.45 in 1997.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.77 in 2012.
- How does Namibia rank for unemployment rate?
- Namibia ranks 8th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. 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).