World 8.2bn peopleGDP $118tnLife expectancy 73.5 yrsOnline 73.6%
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Health · Sub-Saharan Africa · Lower-middle income

Namibia: health in numbers

Life expectancy is 67.5 yrs (2024), 172nd of 217 in the world and 14th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy, women is 71.5 yrs (2024), 161st of 217 in the world and 6th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa. Life expectancy, men is 63.5 yrs (2024), 186th of 217 in the world and 19th of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Life expectancy67.5 yrs2024 · world 172/217 · region 14/48Life expectancy, women71.5 yrs2024 · world 161/217 · region 6/48Life expectancy, men63.5 yrs2024 · world 186/217 · region 19/48Infant mortality36.42024 · world 30/196 · region 25/48
Life expectancy
NamibiaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
50607080199520002005201020152020Namibia67.5 yrsSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
Life expectancy, women
NamibiaSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
50607080199520002005201020152020Namibia71.5 yrsSub-Saharan AfricaLower-middle incomeWorld
17 indicators

Health: Namibia in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Sub-Saharan Africa; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Life expectancyLife expectancy at birth, years67.5 yrs2024172/21714/4852.9 yrs56.1 yrs64.1 yrs+14%since 201462.8 yrs69.5 yrs73.5 yrs
Life expectancy, womenLife expectancy at birth, women, years71.5 yrs2024161/2176/4854.5 yrs58.7 yrs68.0 yrs+15%since 201465.0 yrs71.3 yrs76.0 yrs
Life expectancy, menLife expectancy at birth, men, years63.5 yrs2024186/21719/4851.2 yrs53.4 yrs60.2 yrs+13%since 201460.7 yrs67.8 yrs71.1 yrs
Infant mortalityInfant mortality, per 1,000 live births36.4202430/19625/4848.043.741.6−19%since 201447.133.127.7
Under-5 mortalityUnder-5 mortality, per 1,000 live births39.5202438/19632/4878.250.344.8−21%since 201471.243.837.4
Neonatal mortalityNeonatal mortality, per 1,000 live births21.4202437/19629/4824.021.923.8−12%since 201426.621.617.2
Maternal mortalityMaternal mortality, per 100,000 live births139202354/19440/48384531143−65%since 2013448235197
Measles vaccinationMeasles immunisation, % of children 12–23 months79%2024151/19326/4869%75%90%−4.0 ppsince 201469%86%84%
HIV prevalenceHIV prevalence, % of people 15–499.0%20248/1538/4413.4%13.1%10.6%−3.6 ppsince 20143.0%0.7%0.7%
TuberculosisTuberculosis incidence, per 100,000 people42220249/2082/48985892450−37%since 2014205208131
Health spendingCurrent health expenditure, % of GDP9.5%202335/1935/4810.0%10.6%9.6%−0.6 ppsince 20134.9%3.7%10.1%
Out-of-pocket spendingOut-of-pocket health spending, % of health expenditure7.5%2023179/19345/486.5%8.5%7.0%−1.4 ppsince 201330.4%47.0%17.3%
PhysiciansPhysicians per 1,000 people0.552022127/1806/46··0.38+44%since 20070.250.711.86
Hospital bedsHospital beds per 1,000 people2.7200975/1823/40·2.72009·——1.53.3
Basic waterBasic drinking water, % of population86.5%2024160/20610/4676.2%80.8%85.0%+4.0 ppsince 201467.5%90.8%91.5%
Basic sanitationBasic sanitation, % of population38.7%2024179/20325/4627.1%32.8%37.3%+3.9 ppsince 201437.1%73.9%82.2%
Road deathsRoad traffic deaths, per 100,000 people34.8201911/1868/4822.526.234.82019+30%since 200927.417.416.7
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Namibia and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Namibia. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorNamibiaSouth AfricaAngolaZambiaBotswana
Life expectancy67.5 yrs202466.3 yrs202464.8 yrs202466.5 yrs202469.3 yrs2024
Life expectancy, women71.5 yrs202469.8 yrs202467.3 yrs202468.9 yrs202471.9 yrs2024
Life expectancy, men63.5 yrs202462.8 yrs202462.3 yrs202464.1 yrs202466.8 yrs2024
Infant mortality36.4202424.2202432.1202434.6202432.12024
Under-5 mortality39.5202435.1202449.0202448.4202433.32024
Neonatal mortality21.4202412.4202418.1202421.4202417.62024
Maternal mortality1392023118202318320238520231552023
Measles vaccination79%202476%202453%202488%202497%2024
HIV prevalence9.0%202417.2%20241.6%20249.4%202415.7%2024
South Africa: healthAngola: healthZambia: healthBotswana: health
Health in Sub-Saharan Africaall 48 economies rankedHealth: lower-middle-income countries47 economies rankedHealth: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesNamibia: all key statisticscountry profile