Demographics of Namibia
This article is about the demographic features of the population of Namibia, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Population
Census results
As required by the Namibian Statistics Act #66 of 1976, and in accordance with United Nations recommendations, a census is conducted every ten years. After Namibian independence the first Population and Housing Census was carried out in 1991, further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011. The data collection method is to count every person resident in Namibia wherever they happen to be. This is called the de facto method. For enumeration purposes the country is demarcated into 4,042 enumeration areas. These areas do not overlap with constituency boundaries in order to get reliable data for election purposes as well.The 2011 Population and Housing Census counted 2,113,077 inhabitants of Namibia. Between 2001 and 2011 the annual population growth was 1.4%, down from 2.6% in the previous ten–year period.
In 2011 the total fertility rate was 3.6 children per woman, down from 4.1 in 2001.
UN estimates
According to the total population was in, compared to only 485 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 36.4%, 59.9% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 3.7% was 65 years or older| Total population | Population aged 0–14 | Population aged 15–64 | Population aged 65+ | |
| 1950 | 485 000 | 38.8 | 57.1 | 4.1 |
| 1955 | 538 000 | 40.5 | 55.6 | 4.0 |
| 1960 | 603 000 | 41.6 | 54.7 | 3.7 |
| 1965 | 683 000 | 42.5 | 53.9 | 3.6 |
| 1970 | 780 000 | 43.1 | 53.3 | 3.6 |
| 1975 | 906 000 | 44.3 | 52.2 | 3.5 |
| 1980 | 1 013 000 | 46.6 | 49.9 | 3.5 |
| 1985 | 1 150 000 | 47.0 | 49.5 | 3.5 |
| 1990 | 1 415 000 | 43.7 | 53 | 3.4 |
| 1995 | 1 651 000 | 42 | 54.6 | 3.4 |
| 2000 | 1 896 000 | 40.3 | 56.3 | 3.4 |
| 2005 | 2 080 000 | 38.9 | 57.6 | 3.4 |
| 2010 | 2 283 000 | 36.4 | 59.9 | 3.7 |
Vital statistics
Registration of vital events in Namibia is not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.Fertility and Births
Total Fertility Rate and Crude Birth Rate :| Year | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR | CBR | TFR |
| 1992 | 42 | 5,4 | 43 | 4,0 | 42 | 6,3 |
| 2000 | 30,5 | 4,2 | 29,9 | 3,1 | 30,8 | 5,1 |
| 2006-2007 | 29,2 | 3,6 | 28,8 | 2,8 | 29,6 | 4,3 |
| 2013 | 29,5 | 3,6 | 30,0 | 2,9 | 29,3 | 4,7 |
Fertility data as of 2013 :
| Region | Total fertility rate | Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40-49 |
| Zambezi | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 |
| Erongo | 2.9 | 6.1 | 3.3 |
| Hardap | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.4 |
| Karas | 3.4 | 6.4 | 3.4 |
| Kavango | 4.6 | 6.8 | 5.4 |
| Khomas | 2.6 | 6.4 | 2.7 |
| Kunene | 4.5 | 8.5 | 4.6 |
| Ohangwena | 5.3 | 9.8 | 5.2 |
| Omaheke | 4.6 | 8.6 | 4.2 |
| Omusati | 4.2 | 6.3 | 3.6 |
| Oshana | 2.7 | 6.2 | 3.1 |
| Oshikoto | 4.2 | 5.7 | 4.0 |
| Otjozondjupa | 4.1 | 5.4 | 4.0 |
Life expectancy at birth
Life expectancy from 1950 to 2015 :| Period | Life expectancy in Years |
| 1950–1955 | 41.75 |
| 1955–1960 | 45.27 |
| 1960–1965 | 48.43 |
| 1965–1970 | 51.20 |
| 1970–1975 | 53.52 |
| 1975–1980 | 56.63 |
| 1980–1985 | 58.34 |
| 1985–1990 | 60.67 |
| 1990–1995 | 61.52 |
| 1995–2000 | 58.11 |
| 2000–2005 | 53.83 |
| 2005–2010 | 54.98 |
| 2010–2015 | 61.75 |
Ethnic groups
ns are of diverse ethnic origins. The principal groups are the Ovambo, Kavango, Herero, Himba, Damara, mixed race, White Namibians, Nama, Caprivian, San, and Tswana. The Coloureds and Basters share similar genealogical origins and cultural attributes but nonetheless maintain distinctly separate communal identities, as do most white Namibians and black Namibians, respectively.The Ovambo make up about half of Namibia's people. The Ovambo, Kavango, and East Caprivian peoples, who occupy the relatively well-watered and wooded northern part of the country, are settled farmers and herders. Historically, they have shown little interest in the central and southern parts of Namibia, where conditions do not suit their traditional way of life.
Until the early 20th century, these tribes had little contact with the Nama, Damara, and Herero, who settled around the central part of the country vying for control of sparse pastureland. German colonial rule destroyed the warmaking ability of the tribes but did not erase their identities or traditional organization. People from the more populous north have settled throughout the country in recent decades as a result of urbanization, industrialization, and the demand for labor.
The minority white population is primarily of South African, British, and German descent, with a few Portuguese. About 60% of the whites speak Afrikaans, 32% speak German, and 7% speak English.
Languages
- Oshiwambo - 48.9%
- Khoekhoegowab - 11.3%
- Afrikaans - 10.4%
- Otjiherero - 8.6%
- RuKwangali - 8.5%
- siLozi - 4.8%
- English - 3.4%
- Setswana - 0.3%
- Other African languages - 2.3%
- Other - 1.7%
Religion
Missionary work during the 19th century drew many Namibians to Christianity, especially Lutheranism. While most Namibian Christians are Lutheran, there also are Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, African Methodist Episcopal, and Dutch Reformed Christians represented.- Christian 80% to 90%
- Indigenous beliefs 10% to 20%
Other demographic statistics
Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.
- One birth every 7 minutes
- One death every 29 minutes
- One net migrant every 1440 minutes
- Net gain of one person every 10 minutes
Population
Age structure
Birth rate
Death rate
[Total fertility rate]
Median age
Population growth rate
Mother's mean age at first birth
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Net migration rate
[Dependency ratio]s
Urbanization
Sex ratio
at birth:1.03 male/female
under 15 years:
1.02 male/female
15–64 years:
0.99 male/female
65 years and over:
0.75 male/female
total population:
0.96 male/female
Life expectancy at birth
HIV/AIDS
adult prevalence rate: 12.1%people living with HIV/AIDS: 280,000
deaths: 2,700
Nationality
noun:Namibian
adjective:
Namibian