Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia
Namibia: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 50.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia is 50.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia peaked at 50.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 1950.
Namibia ranks 167th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 15.5% | — |
| 1951 | 16.1% | +3.4% |
| 1952 | 16.8% | +4.2% |
| 1953 | 17.6% | +5.0% |
| 1954 | 18.6% | +5.4% |
| 1955 | 19.6% | +5.4% |
| 1956 | 20.6% | +5.1% |
| 1957 | 21.5% | +4.6% |
| 1958 | 22.3% | +3.8% |
| 1959 | 23.0% | +2.9% |
| 1960 | 23.4% | +1.8% |
| 1961 | 23.6% | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 23.8% | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 24.0% | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 24.2% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 24.4% | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 24.5% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 24.6% | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 24.7% | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 24.9% | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 24.9% | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 25.0% | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 25.1% | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 25.2% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 25.2% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 25.3% | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 25.4% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 25.4% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 25.5% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 25.6% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 25.6% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 25.7% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 25.8% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 25.9% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 26.0% | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 26.1% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 26.2% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 26.4% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 26.5% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 26.7% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 26.9% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 27.1% | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 27.3% | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 27.7% | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 28.1% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 28.7% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 29.3% | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 29.9% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 30.6% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 31.4% | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 32.1% | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 32.9% | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 33.6% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 34.5% | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 35.5% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 36.6% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 37.7% | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 38.8% | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 39.8% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 40.9% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 41.8% | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 42.6% | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 43.4% | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 44.1% | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 44.8% | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 45.5% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 46.2% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 46.8% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 47.4% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 48.0% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 48.5% | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 49.1% | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 49.5% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 50.0% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 50.4% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 50.9% | +0.9% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 50.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 50.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 19.1% | 15.5% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 1960s | 24.2% | 23.4% | 24.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 25.3% | 24.9% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 26.1% | 25.6% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.7% | 26.9% | 31.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.2% | 32.1% | 40.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.1% | 41.8% | 48.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.7% | 48.5% | 50.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 164 Romania 52.2% compare
- 165 Isle of Man 52.1% compare
- 166 Uzbekistan 51.0% compare
- 168 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 48.0% compare
- 169 Turkmenistan 47.1% compare
- 170 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% 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 urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in Namibia was 50.9% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 50.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 1950.
- How does Namibia rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- Namibia ranks 167th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.