View source for Demographics of Namibia

{{Short description|none}}
{{Redirect|Namibian|the newspaper|The Namibian}}
{{Infobox place demographics|place=[[Namibia]]|image=File:Namibia single age population pyramid 2020.png|image_size=350|caption=Population pyramid of Namibia in 2020|size_of_population= 3,068,549 (2025 est.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/namibia-population/ | title=Namibia Population (2025) - Worldometer }}</ref>)|nation=Namibian|age_0–14_years=35.68%|age_65_years=3.9%|growth=1.82% (2022 est.)|birth=25.01 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)|death=6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)|net_migration=0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)|infant_mortality=29.42 deaths/1,000 live births|life_male=64.46 years|life=66.47 years|life_female=68.53 years|fertility=2.98 children born/woman (2022 est.)}}

This is a [[demographics|demography]] of the [[population]] of [[Namibia]] including [[population density]], [[Ethnic group|ethnicity]], education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.

==Population==
[[File:Namibia population.svg|thumb|300px|right|Demographics of Namibia, Data of [[FAO]], year 2005; Number of inhabitants in thousands.]]
[[File:Namibia Population Density (2011).jpg|thumb|300px|right|Population density in Namibia by regions (census 2011)]]

===Census results===
{{Historical populations
|title       = Historical population
|percentages = pagr
|1921|228916
|1936|320457
|1946|362464
|1951|439081
|1970|761010
|1981|1033196
|1991|1409915
|2001|1830330
|2011|2113077
|2023|3022401
}}

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 [[Independence of Namibia|Namibian independence]] the first Population and Housing Census was carried out in 1991, further rounds followed in 2001 and 2011.<ref name=2001Census>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.npc.gov.na/census/index.htm
 |title=Census Summary Results
 |publisher=National Planning Commission of Namibia
 |access-date=21 February 2012
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111224420/http://www.npc.gov.na/census/index.htm
 |archive-date=11 January 2012
}}</ref> The data collection method is to count every person resident in Namibia  wherever they happen to be. This is called the ''de facto'' method.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201108080754.html
|title=Namibia: 2011 Census Officially Launched
|last=Kapitako
|first=Alvine
|date=8 August 2011
|work=[[New Era (Namibia)|New Era]]
|publisher=via allafrica.com}}</ref> For enumeration purposes the country is demarcated into 4,042 ''enumeration areas''. These areas overlap with constituency boundaries in order to get reliable data for election purposes as well.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.npc.gov.na/census/index.htm
 |title=Methodology
 |publisher=National Planning Commission of Namibia
 |access-date=21 February 2012
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111224420/http://www.npc.gov.na/census/index.htm
 |archive-date=11 January 2012
}}</ref>

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.<ref name=snapshot>{{cite news
|url=https://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=106621&page=archive-read
|title=Census gives snapshot of Namibia's population
|last=Duddy
|first=Jo Maré
|date=28 March 2013
|newspaper=[[The Namibian]]}}</ref>

In 2011 the total fertility rate was 3.6 children per woman, down from 4.1 in 2001.

===UN estimates===
According to {{UN_Population|source}} the total population was {{UN_Population|Namibia}} in {{UN_Population|Year}}, 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
.<ref name="WPP 2010">[http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110506065230/http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/index.htm |date=May 6, 2011 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
|-
!
! width="80pt"|Total population
! width="80pt"|Population aged 0–14 (%)
! width="80pt"|Population aged 15–64 (%)
! width="80pt"|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
|}

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Based on the results of the 2011 Population Census.):<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/products/dyb/dyb_2020/|title=UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age Group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 1 217 976
| align="right" | 1 286 522
| align="right" | 2 504 498
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 168 415
| align="right" | 164 699
| align="right" | 333 114
| align="right" | 13.30
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 157 646
| align="right" | 154 774
| align="right" | 312 420
| align="right" | 12.47
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 137 092
| align="right" | 135 235
| align="right" | 272 327
| align="right" | 10.87
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 118 166
| align="right" | 117 873
| align="right" | 236 039
| align="right" | 9.42
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 118 207
| align="right" | 121 535
| align="right" | 239 742
| align="right" | 9.57
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 110 095
| align="right" | 115 411
| align="right" | 225 506
| align="right" | 9.00
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 94 967
| align="right" | 99 744
| align="right" | 194 711
| align="right" | 7.77
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 74 591
| align="right" | 80 644
| align="right" | 155 235
| align="right" | 6.20
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 61 719
| align="right" | 67 206
| align="right" | 128 925
| align="right" | 5.15
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 49 370
| align="right" | 56 034
| align="right" | 105 404
| align="right" | 4.21
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 37 319
| align="right" | 44 620
| align="right" | 81 939
| align="right" | 3.27
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 28 792
| align="right" | 37 243
| align="right" | 66 035
| align="right" | 2.64
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 20 002
| align="right" | 28 448
| align="right" | 48 450
| align="right" | 1.93
|-
| align="right" | 65–69
| align="right" | 15 303
| align="right" | 21 162
| align="right" | 36 465
| align="right" | 1.46
|-
| align="right" | 70–74
| align="right" | 11 841
| align="right" | 16 460
| align="right" | 28 301
| align="right" | 1.13
|-
| align="right" | 75–79
| align="right" | 6 904
| align="right" | 11 064
| align="right" | 17 968
| align="right" | 0.72
|-
| align="right" | 80+
| align="right" | 7 547
| align="right" | 14 370
| align="right" | 21 917
| align="right" | 0.88
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 463 153
| align="right" | 454 708
| align="right" | 917 861
| align="right" | 36.65
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 713 228
| align="right" | 768 758
| align="right" | 1 481 986
| align="right" | 59.17
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 41 595
| align="right" | 63 056
| align="right" | 104 651
| align="right" | 4.18
|-
|}

==Vital statistics==

===United Nations estimates===

Registration of vital events in Namibia is not complete. The website [[Our World in Data]] prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of the [[United Nations]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population & Demography Data Explorer |url=https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/population-and-demography?facet=none&Metric=Population&Sex=Both+sexes&Age+group=Total&Projection+Scenario=None&country=~NAM |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=Our World in Data}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
|-
!
! style="width:80pt;"|Mid-year population
! style="width:80pt;"|Live births
! style="width:80pt;"|Deaths
! style="width:80pt;"|Natural change
! style="width:80pt;"|Crude birth rate (per 1000)
! style="width:80pt;"|Crude death rate (per 1000)
! style="width:80pt;"|Natural change (per 1000)
! style="width:80pt;"|[[Total fertility rate]] (TFR)
! style="width:80pt;"|[[Infant mortality]] (per 1000 live births)
! style="width:80pt;"|[[Life expectancy]] (in years)
|-
|1950
|   515 000
|   22 000
|   12 000
|   10 000
|42.0
|22.5
|19.5
|5.75
|141.7
|41.5
|-
|1951
|  521 000
|  22 000
|  12 000
|  10 000
|42.0
|22.4
|19.6
|5.79
|140.3
|41.8
|-
|1952
|  527 000
|  22 000
|  12 000
|  11 000
|42.0
|22.0
|20.0
|5.83
|137.6
|42.4
|-
|1953
|  534 000
|  22 000
|  12 000
|  11 000
|42.0
|21.6
|20.4
|5.89
|134.7
|43.0
|-
|1954
|  540 000
|  23 000
|  11 000
|  11 000
|41.9
|21.1
|20.8
|5.93
|131.8
|43.7
|-
|1955
|  547 000
|  23 000
|  11 000
|  12 000
|41.7
|20.7
|21.1
|5.97
|128.8
|44.3
|-
|1956
|  555 000
|  23 000
|  11 000
|  12 000
|41.6
|20.2
|21.4
|6.01
|125.7
|44.9
|-
|1957
|  562 000
|  23 000
|  11 000
|  12 000
|41.6
|19.7
|21.8
|6.05
|122.6
|45.6
|-
|1958
|  571 000
|  24 000
|  11 000
|  13 000
|41.6
|19.2
|22.3
|6.10
|119.4
|46.3
|-
|1959
|  580 000
|  24 000
|  11 000
|  13 000
|41.6
|18.8
|22.8
|6.14
|116.1
|46.9
|-
|1960
|  590 000
|  25 000
|  11 000
|  14 000
|41.8
|18.2
|23.5
|6.21
|112.9
|47.7
|-
|1961
|  601 000
|  25 000
|  11 000
|  15 000
|42.0
|17.8
|24.2
|6.27
|109.7
|48.4
|-
|1962
|  614 000
|  26 000
|  11 000
|  15 000
|42.3
|17.3
|25.0
|6.34
|106.6
|49.1
|-
|1963
|  627 000
|  27 000
|  11 000
|  16 000
|42.6
|16.9
|25.7
|6.40
|103.5
|49.7
|-
|1964
|  642 000
|  28 000
|  11 000
|  17 000
|42.8
|16.4
|26.3
|6.43
|100.6
|50.4
|-
|1965
|  658 000
|  28 000
|  11 000
|  18 000
|43.0
|16.0
|26.9
|6.46
|97.8
|51.0
|-
|1966
|  675 000
|  29 000
|  11 000
|  18 000
|43.1
|15.7
|27.4
|6.49
|95.1
|51.4
|-
|1967
|  693 000
|  30 000
|  11 000
|  19 000
|43.3
|15.4
|27.9
|6.51
|92.5
|52.0
|-
|1968
|  712 000
|  31 000
|  11 000
|  20 000
|43.5
|15.0
|28.5
|6.54
|90.1
|52.6
|-
|1969
|  733 000
|  32 000
|  11 000
|  21 000
|43.6
|14.6
|29.0
|6.55
|87.7
|53.1
|-
|1970
|  754 000
|  33 000
|  11 000
|  22 000
|43.7
|14.3
|29.4
|6.55
|85.4
|53.6
|-
|1971
|  777 000
|  34 000
|  11 000
|  23 000
|43.9
|13.9
|30.0
|6.55
|83.1
|54.2
|-
|1972
|  801 000
|  35 000
|  11 000
|  24 000
|43.9
|13.5
|30.4
|6.55
|80.8
|54.8
|-
|1973
|  825 000
|  36 000
|  11 000
|  26 000
|style="color: blue"|44.1
|13.1
|30.9
|style="color: blue"|6.56
|78.6
|55.4
|-
|1974
|  850 000
|  37 000
|  11 000
|  27 000
|44.1
|12.8
|31.3
|6.56
|76.3
|55.9
|-
|1975
|  877 000
|  39 000
|  11 000
|  28 000
|43.9
|12.4
|31.5
|6.54
|74.2
|56.5
|-
|1976
|  902 000
|  39 000
|  11 000
|  28 000
|43.5
|12.0
|31.5
|6.50
|72.2
|57.0
|-
|1977
|  926 000
|  40 000
|  11 000
|  29 000
|42.9
|11.7
|31.3
|6.45
|70.5
|57.6
|-
|1978
|  942 000
|  40 000
|  11 000
|  30 000
|42.3
|11.3
|31.0
|6.38
|69.0
|58.1
|-
|1979
|  957 000
|  39 000
|  11 000
|  29 000
|41.0
|11.1
|29.9
|6.32
|67.6
|58.4
|-
|1980
|  976 000
|  40 000
|  11 000
|  28 000
|40.6
|11.6
|28.9
|6.25
|66.3
|56.8
|-
|1981
|  987 000
|  40 000
|  11 000
|  28 000
|39.7
|11.4
|28.4
|6.16
|64.9
|57.1
|-
|1982
|  1 006 000
|  39 000
|  11 000
|  28 000
|38.6
|11.0
|27.6
|6.08
|63.3
|57.6
|-
|1983
|  1 033 000
|  40 000
|  11 000
|  29 000
|38.5
|10.8
|27.8
|6.00
|61.5
|58.0
|-
|1984
|  1 062 000
|  41 000
|  11 000
|  30 000
|38.5
|10.4
|28.1
|5.93
|59.5
|58.5
|-
|1985
|  1 093 000
|  42 000
|  11 000
|  31 000
|38.5
|10.1
|28.3
|5.85
|57.3
|59.0
|-
|1986
|  1 128 000
|  43 000
|  11 000
|  32 000
|38.5
|9.8
|28.7
|5.77
|55.0
|59.6
|-
|1987
|  1 165 000
|  45 000
|  11 000
|  34 000
|38.7
|9.5
|29.2
|5.67
|52.8
|60.2
|-
|1988
|  1 208 000
|  47 000
|  11 000
|  36 000
|38.9
|9.4
|29.5
|5.58
|51.0
|60.2
|-
|1989
|  1 288 000
|  49 000
|style="color: blue"|  10 000
|  39 000
|39.3
|8.4
|30.9
|5.47
|49.2
|62.6
|-
|1990
|  1 369 000
|  55 000
|  11 000
|  44 000
|40.6
|8.3
|style="color: blue"|32.2
|5.32
|48.0
|62.5
|-
|1991
|  1 416 000
|  57 000
|  12 000
|  45 000
|40.1
|8.4
|31.6
|5.23
|47.0
|62.1
|-
|1992
|  1 462 000
|  57 000
|  13 000
|  45 000
|39.1
|8.6
|30.5
|5.07
|46.4
|61.5
|-
|1993
|  1 510 000
|  57 000
|  13 000
|  44 000
|37.8
|8.8
|29.1
|4.89
|46.1
|60.9
|-
|1994
|  1 558 000
|  57 000
|  14 000
|  42 000
|36.3
|9.1
|27.2
|4.67
|46.4
|59.8
|-
|1995
|  1 605 000
|  55 000
|  15 000
|  40 000
|34.6
|9.5
|25.1
|4.43
|47.2
|58.6
|-
|1996
|  1 650 000
|  54 000
|  17 000
|  38 000
|33.1
|10.2
|22.8
|4.21
|48.1
|56.9
|-
|1997
|  1 693 000
|  55 000
|  18 000
|  37 000
|32.6
|10.8
|21.8
|4.15
|48.9
|55.6
|-
|1998
|  1 736 000
|  56 000
|  20 000
|  36 000
|32.6
|11.6
|21.0
|4.15
|49.5
|54.1
|-
|1999
|  1 778 000
|  57 000
|  22 000
|  36 000
|32.3
|12.1
|20.1
|4.11
|49.8
|53.0
|-
|2000
|  1 819 000
|  57 000
|  23 000
|34 000
|31.4
|12.7
|18.7
|3.98
|49.8
|52.0
|-
|2001
|  1 856 000
|  56 000
|  24 000
|  32 000
|30.4
|13.1
|17.3
|3.83
|49.7
|51.3
|-
|2002
|  1 889 000
|  56 000
|  25 000
|  31 000
|29.7
|13.1
|16.6
|3.72
|49.1
|51.3
|-
|2003
|  1 915 000
|  56 000
|  25 000
|  31 000
|29.2
|13.2
|15.9
|3.62
|49.0
|51.1
|-
|2004
|  1 939 000
|  56 000
|  26 000
|  31 000
|29.0
|13.2
|style="color: red"|15.8
|3.58
|48.9
|51.2
|-
|2005
|  1 963 000
|  57 000
|  25 000
|  32 000
|29.0
|13.0
|16.1
|3.56
|46.8
|51.8
|-
|2006
|  1 987 000
|  58 000
|  25 000
|  33 000
|29.0
|12.5
|16.5
|3.54
|43.9
|52.7
|-
|2007
|  2 011 000
|  59 000
|  24 000
|  35 000
|29.3
|12.0
|17.2
|3.55
|41.2
|53.7
|-
|2008
|  2 039 000
|  61 000
|  24 000
|  37 000
|29.7
|11.6
|18.1
|3.59
|38.1
|54.7
|-
|2009
|  2 068 000
|  62 000
|  23 000
|  39 000
|30.1
|11.2
|18.9
|3.61
|36.2
|55.5
|-
|2010
|  2 099 000
|  64 000
|  23 000
|  41 000
|30.4
|11.1
|19.4
|3.63
|34.3
|56.0
|-
|2011
|  2 132 000
|  66 000
|  23 000
|  43 000
|30.8
|10.9
|19.9
|3.66
|34.6
|56.6
|-
|2012
|  2 167 000
|  67 000
|  23 000
|  45 000
|31.1
|10.4
|20.7
|3.68
|35.0
|57.6
|-
|2013
|  2 205 000
|  68 000
|  22 000
|  46 000
|30.9
|9.9
|21.0
|3.65
|34.2
|58.7
|-
|2014
|  2 243 000
|  69 000
|  21 000
|  48 000
|30.7
|9.4
|21.3
|3.64
|33.5
|59.8
|-
|2015
|  2 283 000
| 70 000
|  21 000
|  49 000
|30.4
|9.1
|21.3
|3.60
|33.4
|60.7
|-
|2016
|  2 323 000
|  70 000
|  20 000
|  50 000
|30.1
|8.7
|21.4
|3.57
|32.5
|61.7
|-
|2017
|  2 365 000
|  70 000
|  20 000
|  50 000
|29.5
|8.5
|21.0
|3.51
|31.6
|62.3
|-
|2018
|  2 406 000
|  70 000
|  20 000
|  50 000
|29.0
|8.4
|20.6
|3.46
|31.0
|62.6
|-
|2019
|  2 447 000
|  70 000
|  20 000
|  49 000
|28.4
| 8.2
|20.2
|3.40
|29.8
|63.1
|-
|2020
|  2 688 000
|  76 000
|  21 000
|  55 000
|27.7
|7.5
|20.2
|3.35
|29.5
|64.1
|-
|2021
|  2 770 000
|  76 000
|style="color: red"|  26 000
|  50 160
| 27.0
|9.2
|17.8
|3.30
|28.7
|60.9
|-
|-
|2022
|  2 851 000
|  76 000
|  22 000
|  54 535
|27.9
|7.5
|18.9
|3.25
|28.7
|64.2
|-
|2023
|  2 928 000
|  77 000
|  18 000
|  58 436
|25.9
|6.2
|19.7
|3.21
|27.2
|67.4
|-
|2024
|
|
|
|  59 739
|25.9
|6.2
|19.7
|3.21
|
|
|-
|2025
|
|
|
|  59 567
|25.4
|6.2
|19.3
|3.17
|
|
|}
{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=year
| yAxisTitle= million
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 0.52,0.52,0.53,0.53,0.54,0.55,0.56,0.56,0.57,0.58,0.59,0.6,0.61,0.63,0.64,0.66,0.68,0.69,0.71,0.73,0.75,0.78,0.8,0.83,0.85,0.88,0.9,0.93,0.94,0.96,0.98,0.99,1.01,1.03,1.06,1.09,1.13,1.17,1.21,1.29,1.37,1.42,1.46,1.51,1.56,1.61,1.65,1.69,1.74,1.78,1.82,1.86,1.89,1.92,1.94,1.96,1.99,2.01,2.04,2.07,2.1,2.13,2.17,2.21,2.24,2.28,2.32,2.37,2.41,2.45,2.49,2.53

| y1Title= population (million)

}}
{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= ‰
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 19.5,19.6,20.0,20.4,20.8,21.1,21.4,21.8,22.3,22.8,23.5,24.2,25.0,25.7,26.3,26.9,27.4,27.9,28.5,29.0,29.4,30.0,30.4,30.9,31.3,31.5,31.5,31.3,31.0,29.9,28.9,28.4,
27.6,27.8,28.1,28.3,28.7,29.2,29.5,30.9,32.2,31.6,30.5,29.1,27.2,25.1,22.8,21.8,21.0,20.1,18.7,17.3,16.6,15.9,15.8,16.1,16.5,17.2,18.1,18.9,19.4,19.9,20.7,21.0,
21.3,21.3,21.4,21.0,20.6,20.2,19.4,16.7

| y1Title=Natural change (per 1000)
}}
{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= ‰
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 141.7,140.3,137.6,134.7,131.8,128.8,125.7,122.6,119.4,116.1,112.9,109.7,106.6,103.5,100.6,97.8,95.1,92.5,90.1,87.7,85.4,83.1,80.8,78.6,76.3,74.2,
72.2,70.5,69.0,67.6,66.3,64.9,63.3,61.5,59.5,57.3,55.0,52.8,51.0,49.2,48.0,47.0,46.4,46.1,46.4,47.2,48.1,48.9,49.5,49.8,49.8,49.7,49.1,49.0,48.9,46.8,43.9,41.2,38.1,36.2,34.3,34.6,35.0,34.2,33.5,33.4,32.5,31.6,31.0,29.8,28.7,27.7

| y1Title=Infant Mortality (per 1000 live births)
}}
{{GraphChart
| width = 450
| height = 150
| xAxisTitle=years
| yAxisTitle= TFR
| yAxisMin=
| yGrid= 0,1
| xGrid= 10
| hAnnotatonsLine=
| hAnnotatonsLabel=
| legend=
| type = line
| x = 1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999,2000,2001,2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

| y1= 5.75,5.79,5.83,5.89,5.93,5.97,6.01,6.05,6.10,6.14,6.21,6.27,6.34,6.40,6.43,6.46,6.49,6.51,6.54,6.55,6.55,6.55,6.55,6.56,6.56,6.54,6.50,6.45,6.38,6.32,6.25,
6.16,6.08,6.00,5.93,5.85,5.77,5.67,5.58,5.47,5.32,5.23,5.07,4.89,4.67,4.43,4.21,4.15,4.15,4.11,3.98,3.83,3.72,3.62,3.58,3.56,3.54,3.55,3.59,3.61,3.63,3.66,3.68,
3.65,3.64,3.60,3.57,3.51,3.46,3.40,3.35,3.30

| y1Title=Total Fertility Rate
}}

===Demographic and Health Surveys===
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (followed by wanted fertility rate in brackets) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):<ref>{{cite web|url=http://microdata.worldbank.org/index.php/catalog/dhs#_r=&collection=&country=&dtype=&from=1890&page=11&ps=&sk=&sort_by=nation&sort_order=&to=2014&topic=&view=s&vk=|title=MEASURE DHS: Demographic and Health Surveys|website=microdata.worldbank.org}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2| Year
! colspan=2| Total
! colspan=2| Urban
! colspan=2| Rural
|-
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
! CBR !! TFR
|-
| 1992
| style="text-align:right;"| 42
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.4 (4.8)
| style="text-align:right;"| 43
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.0 (3.4)
| style="text-align:right;"| 42
| style="text-align:right;"| 6.3 (5.8)
|-
| 2000
| style="text-align:right;"| 30.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.2 (3.4)
| style="text-align:right;"| 29.9
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.1 (2.4)
| style="text-align:right;"| 30.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 5.1 (4.2)
|-
| 2006–2007
| style="text-align:right;"| 29.2
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.6 (2.7)
| style="text-align:right;"| 28.8
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.8 (2.2)
| style="text-align:right;"| 29.6
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.3 (3.3)
|-
| 2013
| style="text-align:right;"| 29.5
| style="text-align:right;"| 3.6 (2.9)
| style="text-align:right;"| 30.0
| style="text-align:right;"| 2.9 (2.4)
| style="text-align:right;"| 29.3
| style="text-align:right;"| 4.7 (3.5)
|-
|}

Fertility data as of 2013 (DHS Program):<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR298/FR298.pdf|title=Namibia Demographic and Health Survey 2013|date=2013|website=Namibia Demographic and Health Survey}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="width:100pt;"| Region
! style="width:100pt;"| Total fertility rate
! style="width:100pt;"| Percentage of women age 15–49 currently pregnant
! style="width:100pt;"| Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49
|-
|[[Zambezi Region|Zambezi]]|| 4.2 || 4.5 || 4.4
|-
|[[Erongo Region|Erongo]]|| 2.9 || 6.1 || 3.3
|-
|[[Hardap Region|Hardap]]|| 3.7 || 3.8 || 3.4
|-
|[[ǁKaras Region|Karas]]|| 3.4 || 6.4 || 3.4
|-
|[[Kavango Region|Kavango]]|| 4.6 || 6.8 || 5.4
|-
|[[Khomas Region|Khomas]]|| 2.6 || 6.4 || 2.7
|-
|[[Kunene Region|Kunene]]|| 4.5 || 8.5 || 4.6
|-
|[[Ohangwena Region|Ohangwena]]|| 5.3 || 9.8 || 5.2
|-
|[[Omaheke Region|Omaheke]]|| 4.6 || 8.6 || 4.2
|-
|[[Omusati Region|Omusati]]|| 4.2 || 6.3 || 3.6
|-
|[[Oshana Region|Oshana]]|| 2.7 || 6.2 || 3.1
|-
|[[Oshikoto Region|Oshikoto]]|| 4.2 || 5.7 || 4.0
|-
|[[Otjozondjupa Region|Otjozondjupa]]|| 4.1 || 5.4 || 4.0
|}

===Life expectancy at birth===
Life expectancy from 1950 to 2015 (''UN World Population Prospects''):<ref>{{cite web|url=https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/|title=World Population Prospects – Population Division – United Nations|access-date=2017-07-15}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
!Period
!Life expectancy in<br />Years
|-
|1950–1955
|41.75
|-
|1955–1960
|{{increase}} 45.27
|-
|1960–1965
|{{increase}} 48.43
|-
|1965–1970
|{{increase}} 51.20
|-
|1970–1975
|{{increase}} 53.52
|-
|1975–1980
|{{increase}} 56.63
|-
|1980–1985
|{{increase}} 58.34
|-
|1985–1990
|{{increase}} 60.67
|-
|1990–1995
|{{increase}} 61.52
|-
|1995–2000
|{{decrease}} 58.11
|-
|2000–2005
|{{decrease}} 53.83
|-
|2005–2010
|{{increase}} 54.98
|-
|2010–2015
|{{increase}} 61.75
|}

==Ethnic groups==
[[File:Himba Woman and Family.JPG|thumb|[[Himba people]] in northern Namibia]]
[[File:Nama Woman Smoking Kalahari Desert Namibia Luca Galuzzi 2004.JPG|thumb|A [[Nama people|Nama]] tribal smoking a roll]]
{{bar box
|title=Racial groups in Namibia<ref name="Census 2023 Statistical Release">{{cite web|url=https://nsa.org.na/census/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf}}</ref>
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Racial groups
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[African diaspora|African]]|Black|96.1}}
{{bar percent|[[Coloureds|Mixed]]|Green|2.1}}
{{bar percent|[[White Namibian|White]]|Yellow|1.8}}
}}
{{bar box
|title=Tribes in Namibia<ref name="Namibian Census 2023">{{cite web|url=https://nsa.org.na/census/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf |date=28 October 2024}}</ref>
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Tribe
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|[[Ovambo people|Ovambo]]|fuchsia|50.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Kavango people|Kavangos]]|maroon|11.6}}
{{bar percent|[[Damara people|Damara]]|green|8.5}}
{{bar percent|[[Herero people|Herero]]|red|5.9}}
{{bar percent|[[Lozi people|Lozi]]|black|4.1}}
{{bar percent|[[Nama people| Nama]]|blue|3.7}}
{{bar percent|[[San people|San]]|yellow|2.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Tswana people|Tswana]]|cyan|0.4}}
{{bar percent|[[Other African Tribe|Other Tribes]]|grey|8.4}}
}}

Namibia has many ethnic groups. The majority of the Namibian population is of [[Bantu peoples|Bantu]]-speaking origin—mostly of the [[Ovambo people|Ovambo]] ethnicity, which forms about half of the population—residing mainly in the north of the country, although many are now resident in towns throughout Namibia. They also include the [[Lozi people]] and [[Kavango people]]. Other ethnic groups are the [[Herero people|Herero]] and [[Himba people]], who speak a similar language, and the [[Damara (people)|Damara]], who speak the same "click" language as the [[Nama people|Nama]]. {{As of|2022}} Herero and Nama peoples make up less than 10% of the population, but at the beginning of the 20th century and before the [[Herero and Nama genocide]], they made up a majority.<ref name="genocide">{{Cite web |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/it-s-as-if-we-never-existed-namibia-continues-seeking-justice-for-germany-s-colonial-era-genocide-a-57e3dbc5-8f51-476a-a692-bf2b036fcfc0 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |date=2022-11-10 |accessdate=2022-11-10 |lang=en |last1=Popp |first1=Maximilian |last2=Riedmann |first2=Bernhard |title=Namibia Continues Seeking Justice for Germany's Colonial-Era Genocide}}</ref>

The largest ten ethnic groups are Aakwanyama, Aandonga, Ovaherero, Damara, Aakwambi, Vakwangali, Nama, Aambalantu, Vakavango, and Aangandjera.<ref>https://census.nsanamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=July 2025}}</ref>

In addition to the Bantu majority, there are large groups of [[Khoisan|San]], who are descendants of the original culture of Southern Africa, as well as Nama who are descendants of the above as well as mixed with colonists. They often speak [[Khoekhoe language|Khoekhoegowab]]. The country also contains some [[Angolans in Namibia|descendants of refugees from Angola]].

There are also two smaller groups of people with mixed racial origins, called "[[Coloured people in Namibia|Coloureds]]" (2,1%) and "[[Baster]]s" (1,5%).<ref>https://census.nsanamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=July 2025}}</ref> There is a substantial [[Chinese people in Namibia|Chinese minority in Namibia]]; it stood at 40,000 in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.migrationinformation.org/Feature/display.cfm?id=690 |title=China and Africa: Stronger Economic Ties Mean More Migration |author=Malia Politzer |publisher=Migration Information Source |date=August 2008 |access-date=10 September 2013}}</ref>

[[White Namibians|Whites]] (mainly of [[Afrikaner people|Afrikaner]], German, British and [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] origin) make up 1,8% of the population, according to the 2023 Population and Housing Census.<ref>https://census.nsanamibia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Population-and-Housing-Census-Main-Report-28-Oct-2024.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=July 2025}}</ref> Although their proportion of the population decreased after [[Independence of Namibia|independence]] due to emigration and lower birth rates, they still form the second-largest population of [[Ethnic groups in Europe|European ancestry]], both in terms of percentage and actual numbers, in [[Sub-Saharan Africa]] (after South Africa/Angola).<ref name=CIA>{{CIA World Factbook |article=Namibia |year=2009 |access-date=23 January 2010}}</ref> The majority of [[White Namibians|Namibian whites]] and nearly all those who are of [[Basters|mixed race]], speak [[Afrikaans]] and share similar origins, culture, and religion as the white and coloured populations of South Africa. A large minority of whites (around 30,000) trace their family origins back to the [[German Namibians|German]] settlers who colonised Namibia prior to the British confiscation of German lands after World War I, and they maintain German cultural and educational institutions. Nearly all Portuguese settlers came to the country from the former [[Portuguese West Africa|Portuguese colony]] of Angola.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12079340 |title=Flight from Angola |newspaper=The Economist |date=16 August 1975 |access-date=10 September 2013}}</ref> The 1960 census reported 526,004 persons in what was then South West Africa, including 73,464 whites (14%).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Singh |first= Lalita Prasad |title = The United Nations and Namibia |publisher=East African Publishing House |year = 1980}}</ref>

==Languages==
[[File:Sprachenverteilung Oshivambo Namibia (2011).svg|200px|thumb|Distribution of Oshiwambo (2011)]]
[[File:Sprachenverteilung Khoekhoegowab Namibia (2011).svg|200px|thumb|Distribution of Khoekhoe (also known as Nama or Damara (2011)]]
[[File:Sprachenverteilung Afrikaans Namibia (2011).svg|200px|thumb|Distribution of Afrikaans (2011)]]
[[File:Sprachenverteilung Otjiherero Namibia (2011).svg|200px|thumb|Distribution of Otjiherero (2011)]]
[[File:Distribution of Kavango languages in Namibia.png|200px|thumb|Distribution of Kavango languages (2001)]]
[[File:Distribution of Caprivi languages in Namibia.png|200px|thumb|Distribution of Silozi (2001)]]

{{Pie chart
| caption= [[Languages of Namibia]] in 2022.<ref name="CIA 2022">{{CIA World Factbook|article=Namibia |date=19 April 2022}}</ref>
| label1 = [[Ovambo language|Oshiwambo]]
| value1 =  48.9
| color1 = fuchsia
| label2 = [[Khoekhoe language|Khoekhoegowab]]
| value2 = 11.3
| color2 = brown
| label3 = [[Afrikaans]]
| value3 = 11.3
| color3 = orange
| label4 = [[Otjiherero language|Otjiherero]]
| value4 = 8.6
| color4 = red
| label5 = [[Kwangali language|RuKwangali]]
| value5 = 8.5
| color5 = green
| label6 = [[Lozi language|Silozi]]
| value6 = 4.8
| color6 = black
| label7 = [[English language|English]]
| value7 = 3.4
| color7 = pink
| label8 = [[German language|German]]
| value8 = 1
| Color8 = yellow
| other  = yes
| other-color = silver
}}

==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 Church|African Methodist Episcopal]], and [[Dutch Reformed Church|Dutch Reformed Christian]]s represented.

*[[Christians|Christian]] 80% to 90% (at least 50% [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]])<ref name="CIA 2022"/>
*[[Indigenous religions|Indigenous beliefs]] 10% to 20%

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|Demographics of Namibia}}
* [http://knownamibia.com/articles/namibian-people Namibian People]

{{Ethnic groups in Namibia}}
{{Africa in topic|Demographics of}}
{{Namibia topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Demographics Of Namibia}}
[[Category:Demographics of Namibia| ]]