Every figure below carries its named source and year. The Eco Index scores twelve pillars on the same scale everywhere; seven are measured from published data with fixed thresholds, five are assessed from the named sources.
Namibia at a Glance.
The score, and the four numbers that set the tone. 12 equally-weighted pillars, every pillar sourced.
Compare with:
Renewable power
98%
of electricity
Food imported
13%
of merchandise imports · ~US$1,114m a year
The Eco Index across 12 pillars · scored 0 to 5 · World Bank, OWID, WHO/UNICEF JMP, FiBL, Protected Planet, IUCN, UNESCO (2023-24)
Water
Food & farming
Plant-based
Organic
Conservation
Wildlife
Materials
Pollution
Recycling
Energy
Culture
Heritage
Facts That Surprise People About Namibia.
The numbers and firsts that change how you see Namibia, the sobering and the remarkable. Every one is dated and linked to its source.
SoberingFood
One in five people is undernourished
World Bank data, drawing on FAO estimates, put undernourishment in Namibia at 20.1% of the population in 2024.
SoberingHealth
Over a third of adults are overweight
At the same time, 36.5% of Namibian adults were overweight in 2022, according to World Bank data. Hunger and excess weight now exist side by side.
Source: World Bank, Prevalence of overweight (% of adults), Namibia · 2022
SoberingHealth
Diabetes affects about one adult in twenty
World Bank data, drawn from IDF Diabetes Atlas estimates, put diabetes among Namibians aged 20 to 79 at 5.3% in 2024.
SoberingHealth
A 23% chance of early death from chronic disease
In 2021, a Namibian aged 30 had a 23.1% chance of dying before 70 from heart disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic lung disease, according to World Bank data.
RemarkableNature
The only coastal desert with fog driven dune fields
UNESCO calls the Namib Sand Sea the world's only coastal desert that includes extensive dune fields influenced by fog. Fog is the main water source for its many endemic species. It was listed as a World Heritage site in 2013.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Namib Sand Sea · 2013
RemarkableEnvironment
Environmental protection written into the constitution
Article 95 of Namibia's 1990 constitution commits the state to maintain ecosystems and biological diversity and to use living natural resources sustainably for present and future Namibians. It also requires the government to act against the dumping or recycling of foreign nuclear and toxic waste on Namibian territory.
RemarkableNature
Communities manage wildlife on a fifth of the country
Since a 1996 law gave rural communities rights over wildlife and tourism, Namibia has registered 86 communal conservancies covering almost 20% of the country. NACSO says 46.8% of Namibia is under some form of conservation management.
Source: NACSO, Conservation and Conservancies · 2024
RemarkableHistory
One of Africa's largest rock engraving sites
UNESCO says Twyfelfontein, or /Ui-//aes, has one of the largest concentrations of rock engravings in Africa, many showing rhinos, elephants, ostriches and giraffes. They record at least 2,000 years of hunter gatherer ritual.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Twyfelfontein or /Ui-//aes · 2007
The History of Namibia.
Namibia's ancestral traditions remain strong. In Ovaherero and Ovambanderu homesteads life centres on Okuruuo, the holy fire where the ancestors and the creator are believed to reside, while the Nama keep alive their ancestral music and the Nama≠Nāb dancing steps, which UNESCO placed on its urgent safeguarding list in 2020.
Where the name comes from
The country's name comes from the word nama, meaning 'vast place', which was used for the Namib Desert, according to the Namibia Press Agency. Under German rule the territory was Deutsch-Südwestafrika, or South-West Africa, and it became the Republic of Namibia when it gained independence on 21 March 1990.
The land itself: a high plateau through the middle, the Namib along the coast, the Kalahari to the east. Its high point is Königstein on the Brandberg, 2,573 m. Source: national mapping and survey records.
Where it starts
The earliest known figurative art in Africa
Seven painted stone plaques of micaceous shale schist were excavated from the Apollo 11 Cave in 1969 and 1972. They come from a single layer at the interface between the final Middle Stone Age and the earliest Later Stone Age. Radiocarbon ages of 28,000 to 26,000 years were first reported for that level, and later AMS radiocarbon and luminescence dating places it at about 30,000 years ago, making these the earliest known figurative art in Africa. Older abstract engravings on ochre are known from Blombos Cave in South Africa. Across Namibia, more than 1,200 rock art sites belong mostly to the hunter-gatherer tradition generally attributed to San people and their ancestors.
How it got here
Genocide, then occupation, then independence
Germany claimed the territory in 1884. Between 1904 and 1908 German colonial forces carried out the extermination of Herero and Nama people, recognised as the first genocide of the twentieth century. South Africa took over the territory in 1915 and governed it under a League of Nations mandate from 1920. SWAPO launched an armed struggle in 1966, and after UN-supervised elections in 1989 Namibia became independent on 21 March 1990.
The timeline
About 30,000 years ago
The Apollo 11 Cave stones.
Seven painted stone plaques, recovered by the archaeologist Wolfgang Erich Wendt in 1969 and 1972. They come from a single layer dated by radiocarbon and luminescence methods to about 30,000 years ago, and are the only African figurative art known from that period. The artists used black pigments from manganese and charcoal and red pigments probably made from ochre-rich shale. Older abstract engravings on ochre are known from Blombos Cave in South Africa. Source
From about 6,000 years ago
San presence.
Namibia has more than 1,200 rock art sites across the country. Most belong to the hunter-gatherer tradition of southern Africa, which is generally attributed to San people and their ancestors, and painting in the region began as much as 6,000 years ago. Source
About 1,200 years ago onward
Farming and herding.
Bantu-speaking farmers and herders, together with Khoekhoe pastoralists, probably began to enter Namibia about 1,200 years ago. Source
1884
German colonisation.
Germany claims the territory as German South West Africa in 1884. The colonial war against the Herero and Nama from 1904 is now widely recognised as the first genocide of the twentieth century. Source
1904 to 1908
The Herero and Nama genocide.
German colonial forces carried out the extermination of Herero and Nama people. It is recognised as the first genocide of the twentieth century. Source
1915 to 1990
South African rule.
South Africa takes over the territory during the First World War and rules it until independence, from 1920 under a League of Nations mandate. Source
1966 to 1989
The liberation war.
SWAPO launches an armed struggle against South African occupation in 1966. South Africa agrees to Namibian independence in 1988, and UN-supervised elections follow in 1989. Source
1990
Independence.
Namibia becomes independent on 21 March 1990, ending South African rule, and joins the United Nations a month later. Source
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Apollo 11 Cave Stones · British Museum, African Rock Art · Rifkin and others, Characterising pigments on 30,000-year-old portable art from Apollo 11 Cave (Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2016) · Atlas of Namibia, People on the move · Mémorial de la Shoah, The genocide of the Herero and Nama · BBC News, Namibia profile timeline · United Nations Peacekeeping, Namibia UNTAG background
Nature and Biodiversity in Namibia.
About 39.9% of the land is protected (World Bank, 2024), and Namibia was the first African country to write environmental protection into its constitution and pioneered communal conservancies that place a further large area under community conservation. Enforcement supports custodianship of the largest free-roaming black rhino population, while marine cover is about 1.71% of territorial waters.
Is wild Namibia protected? 39.9% of the land is, already past the 30% target for 2030
How protected is nature in Namibia?
Forest cover9.8%
Terrestrial protected area39.9%
Marine protected area1.71%
144 (mammals, birds, fish & plants) listed as threatened.
World Bank Open Data · Protected Planet (UNEP-WCMC / WDPA) · GBIF occurrence data · IUCN Red List, threatened species by country (Summary Statistics, Table 5) · World Bank, Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters), Namibia · World Bank, Threatened species (mammals, birds, fish, higher plants), Namibia · Convention on Biological Diversity, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3
Found only here. Welwitschia mirabilis, desert-adapted elephants and Namib endemics, plus the world's largest free-roaming black rhino population.
The watchlist
ThreatenedBlack Rhino (Diceros bicornis) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedGyps africanus Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedCrassothonna opima Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAloe pearsonii Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedTrigonoceps occipitalis Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedNecrosyrtes monachus Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedSpheniscus demersus Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedFloppy Treefig (Stoeberia carpii) Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
What is still here, and what is gone?
Tap a species for the honest status.
Closest to being lost, by name
Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Namibia. GBIF holds 70 verified occurrence records.
Gyps africanus
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Namibia. GBIF holds 423 verified occurrence records.
Crassothonna opima
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Namibia. GBIF holds 5 verified occurrence records.
Aloe pearsonii
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Namibia. GBIF holds 3 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Namibia filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
Who is putting it back
National park, mapped and named in the open record for Namibia. OpenStreetMap.
National park, mapped and named in the open record for Namibia. OpenStreetMap.
National park in Zambezi, mapped and named in the open record for Namibia. OpenStreetMap.
National park in Erongo Region, mapped and named in the open record for Namibia. OpenStreetMap.
National park in Kavango West, mapped and named in the open record for Namibia. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Namibia.
Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with perennial rivers only along its borders, the Orange, Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi, and an interior reliant on ephemeral rivers, groundwater, coastal desalination and Windhoek's pioneering direct reuse of reclaimed water. About 84.3% of people use at least a basic drinking water service (World Bank JMP, 2020) and treated town tap water is safe.
Does Namibia have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
Windhoek recycles and treats its water successfully; elsewhere bottle or filter.
Cleanest water: The perennial Kunene and Okavango rivers in the north.
How much fresh water does Namibia have, per person?
2,132 m³
Namibia
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Namibia withdraws about 103 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 0.3% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as no water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 71%, homes and towns 22%, industry 7%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Namibia beaches?
·Tap water: Varies.
✕Plastic rules: Plastic bags banned in national parks and protected areas, no full national ban yet..
✕Solo travel: rated take care on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 1.71% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Named on the open map: Agate Beach, Independence Beach, Nordstrand, Pebble Beach, Vogelstrand, Angra Fria. That is 7 named beaches in the public record for Namibia, each one a place you can look up before you go. OpenStreetMap.
Where does the sewage go?
38.7%
of people have at least basic sanitation
38.7% of people here use at least a basic toilet not shared with other households (2024, World Bank / WHO UNICEF JMP). No figure is published for how much of that waste is safely treated, so the share reaching the ground or the water untreated is unknown.
How is the sea around Namibia doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Cold coastal fog, baking interior; the rainy season is Jan–Apr.
Nearshore
Protected water
1.71% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
The perennial Kunene and Okavango rivers in the north..
The record
Measured
Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with perennial rivers only along its borders, the Orange, Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi, and an interior reliant on ephemeral rivers, groundwater, coastal desalination and Windhoek's pioneering direct reuse of reclaimed water. About 84.3% of people use at least a basic drinking water service (World Bank JMP, 2020) and treated town tap water is safe.
Namibia scored 64 out of 100 on the Ocean Health Index in its 2025 assessment, below the global average of 72, and ranked 182nd of 220 coastal regions. The index team says it is no longer updating scores, so the 2025 figures may be the last.
Sea protected
1.7%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
144 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Is the tap water safe in Namibia?
NamWater, the state owned bulk supplier, runs the dams, pipelines and treatment plants, and sells water to municipalities, which pipe it to homes and businesses. In Windhoek part of the drinking water is reclaimed from wastewater at the Goreangab plant, which Veolia says supplies about 35 per cent of the city's needs after treatment steps including ozone, activated carbon, ultrafiltration and chlorination, with monitoring after every step. WHO and UNICEF estimate that 86.5 per cent of Namibians had at least basic drinking water in 2024, but there is no national estimate of safely managed water. Town supplies are treated, while in rural areas, from boreholes or after flooding, boil or filter the water.
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 0.3% of what Namibia renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Namibia? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
How much fresh water does Namibia actually have?
Nature renews about 2,132 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Namibia 82 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the drier half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
FAO AQUASTAT · WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme · World Bank Open Data · Ocean Health Index, Namibia · Ocean Health Index, Global scores · Wikipedia, Water supply and sanitation in Namibia · Veolia, Drinking water from recycled wastewater in Windhoek (18 October 2018) · World Bank, People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population)
Food and Drink in Namibia.
Namibia grows maize, millet and sorghum, but harvests swing with the rains, and imports, mostly maize and wheat from South Africa, cover about two-thirds of the country's cereal needs in an average year.
Where does the food in Namibia come from?
13.2% imported
about US$1,114m a year
On the plate: Mahangu (pearl millet) porridge, maize, beans, spinach and wild greens.
1 of 10
bites are imported
The island buys in more food energy than it eats. About US$1,114m a year leaves the country to pay for it. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
About 13.2% of everything Namibia buys in from abroad is food, roughly 1 in every 10 imported items on the dock (2024, World Bank). Farming itself is 7% of the economy and 47.1% of the land is agricultural, of which 1% is arable. The green slice is roughly what still grows here.
What is killing people in Namibia? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined29.9%
Diabetes5.3%
There is no national count. In November 2023 Dr Hileni Samuel, a diabetologist at Windhoek Central Hospital, said diabetes had led to 24 amputations at that hospital and 54 at Katutura Intermediate Hospital, without saying over what period. The Khomas region recorded 10,802 people with diabetes at its public hospitals in 2023, up from 6,403 in 2022. Source: New Era.
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 36.5%.
Can Namibia feed itself?
1.0%
Arable land
47.1%
Agricultural land
257,515
Farmers
1,976,840
Arable acres
7.0%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Harvest: Mahangu harvest around April to June after the summer rains.
Feeding itself
The arid climate limits agriculture to livestock ranching and northern mahangu millet, so Namibia imports a large share of its cereals and staple foods in most years.
Certification
Certified organic cropland is minimal and a national share could not be verified, but Namibia's wild-harvested Devil's Claw is certified organic and FairWild for export, giving it a genuine if narrow organic sector.
Water for crops
Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with perennial rivers only along its borders, the Orange, Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi, and an interior reliant on ephemeral rivers, groundwater, coastal desalination and Windhoek's pioneering direct reuse of reclaimed water. About 84.3% of people use at least a basic drinking water service (World Bank JMP, 2020) and treated town tap water is safe.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Namibia, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 47.1% of the country is agricultural land and 1% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
What actually grows here
Root vegetablesMaizeGrapesOnionsWheatFruitsPulsesVegetables
The food that already fits
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Namibia are roots and tubers, grapes and maize (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy where residents buy: the Green Market (Bio Markt) at the New Apostolic Church on Dr Kenneth David Kaunda Street in Klein Windhoek, on Saturday mornings, with vegetables, dairy, bread, honey, jams and chutneys; and in Katutura, Windhoek, the Oshetu Community Market on the site of the old Single Quarters, known for kapana grilled meat, plus the Olyeeta and Tukondjeny markets, which sell mahangu millet, sorghum, dried wild spinach (ombidi), collard greens and dried cassava. These are public markets rather than farm shops we have checked, so confirm days before you go.
Not yet checked by us. Plant based kitchens listed publicly: The Vege Table, Nature's Path, vegetarian and vegan café in Swakopmund: simple meals, mainly takeaway; Wild Rocket Cafe, health café in Swakopmund: quinoa bowl, veggie wrap, falafel and plant milk drinks; KAUAI Klein Kuppe, health food restaurant in Windhoek: labelled vegan burger, wrap and salads; Seoul Food, Korean restaurant in Windhoek: vegan bibimbap, kimchi and stir fried vegetables; Goodfellas Pizza and Pub, pizzeria in Windhoek: marked vegan pizza with plant cheese and a vegan burger. Tell us how they are.
Is this grown in Namibia?
Tap a food for the honest answer.
MaizeBeansSpinachWild greens
World Bank Open Data · FAO, FAOSTAT crop production · World Health Organization · FAO AQUASTAT · HappyCow, Vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Swakopmund (print listing) · HappyCow, Vegan and vegetarian restaurants in Windhoek (print listing) · Gondwana Collection, Best markets to explore in Namibia's capital city (1 November 2019) · Travel News Namibia, Katutura's fresh food markets · New Era (Namibia), Diabetes cases on the rise, 15 November 2023 · FAO GIEWS, Country brief, Namibia
Climate and Energy in Namibia.
Namibia is a very low emitter at about 1.1 tonnes per person in 2024, and its domestic generation leans on low-carbon sources, chiefly the Ruacana hydropower station plus fast-growing solar, together supplying around 40 per cent of home-produced electricity. The country imports much of its remaining power from South Africa's coal-heavy grid, which is its main indirect emissions burden. Policy ambition is high, with one of the more ambitious NDCs and a national Green Hydrogen Strategy aiming to make Namibia a major exporter of clean fuels. Abundant sun and wind underpin projects such as Hyphen that could reshape its energy future. Very low emissions and strong clean-energy ambition earn a high score, capped by reliance on imported coal power.
What powers Namibia?
Renewable 97.6%Fossil 2.4%
NamPower, the national state owned power utility, covers the whole electricity chain from generation and transmission to distribution, supply and energy trading, under the oversight of the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy. Its main plants are the Ruacana hydro station (347 MW), the Van Eck coal station (120 MW) and the Anixas diesel station (22.5 MW). Its activities are licensed and regulated by the Electricity Control Board. A Chinese led joint venture holds a N$1.4 billion contract to build a 100 MW solar plant at Rosh Pinah.
Climate pollution per person
The safe amount, what the planet can absorb
2 tonnes
One person here
1.2 tonnes
The world average, for comparison
4.7 tonnes
The worst it ever got
1.6 tonnes
The grid
Namibia is a very low emitter at about 1.1 tonnes per person in 2024, and its domestic generation leans on low-carbon sources, chiefly the Ruacana hydropower station plus fast-growing solar, together supplying around 40 per cent of home-produced electricity. The country imports much of its remaining power from South Africa's coal-heavy grid, which is its main indirect emissions burden.
Pollution
Plastic bags are banned in national parks and protected areas, and the desert air is very clean, though there is no full national ban, mining raises local dust and mean annual PM2.5 exposure was 14.2 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (World Bank).
Water stress
Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with perennial rivers only along its borders, the Orange, Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi, and an interior reliant on ephemeral rivers, groundwater, coastal desalination and Windhoek's pioneering direct reuse of reclaimed water. About 84.3% of people use at least a basic drinking water service (World Bank JMP, 2020) and treated town tap water is safe.
What pollutes most here
1The grid The share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.60%
2Industry Uranium and diamond mining in Erongo and the coastal Sperrgebiet..named
3Air Modelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.14.2 µg/m³ (PM2.5)
4On the record Plastic bags are banned in national parks and protected areas, and the desert air is very clean, though there is no full national ban, mining raises local dust and mean annual PM2.5 exposure was 14.2 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (World Bank).
What has Namibia promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today93.4% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target39.9% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target1.7% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in policy document. Measured against it, 93.4% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 6.6% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year1.2 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy2.8 t CO2e
Sydney return, economy2.18 t CO2e
New York return, economy2.11 t CO2e
Singapore return, economy1.76 t CO2e
London return, economy1.52 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Namibia emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Firsts on climate finance. The Green Climate Fund lists 12 projects involving Namibia, with US$147 million of GCF financing, plus US$5.3 million in readiness support. Its first two Namibian projects were approved on 14 October 2016, both through the national Environmental Investment Fund: US$9.5 million for climate resilient farming in three northern crop regions (FP023), and a US$10 million grant to help communities adapt through natural resource management (FP024). The fund describes FP024 as the first enhanced direct access project its board approved.
AI and Data Centres in Namibia.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Namibia.
Data centres
1
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Grid renewable
97.6 %
What a machine here runs on.
What powers a data centre in Namibia?
Running AI here is about as clean as it currently gets.
Renewable 97.6%Fossil 2.4%
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 93.4% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Namibia has 1 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Windhoek (1), alongside 1 internet exchange (IXP Namibia). Named sites include Paratus Armada.
Where the cables land. 1 landing points · Swakopmund
Economy and Tourism in Namibia.
65% residents to 35% visitors across a year. 1,651,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 3,092,816 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Namibia
187k
Visitors a year
0.1
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Namibia?· for every $100 Namibia earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 70What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 76The IMF's own forecast has this rising to $76 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Namibia earns in a year, it owes $70 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Namibia?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 1,651,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 3,092,816 residents, 0.5 visitors for every resident (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Namibia is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published3
The plate
Food is only 13.2% of everything Namibia imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, root vegetables, maize, grapes, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses, vegetables, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown4
The power
93.4% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Namibia. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it6
Pay the bank first
Namibia owes $70 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$70 per $1007
No plan B
35.0% of everything Namibia sells abroad is pearls, gemstones and precious metals (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
35.0% one export8
Community chest
Tourism earns 4% of everything Namibia makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
4% of exports9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From Los Angeles a return economy seat is 2.80 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.80 t CO210
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$17 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$17bnGDPUS$15.1bn
Agriculture, share of GDP7%
Visitors a year187,100
Visitors per resident0.1
Residents~3,092,816
Agriculture
Farming is 7% of the economy. The arid climate limits agriculture to livestock ranching and northern mahangu millet, so Namibia imports a large share of its cereals and staple foods in most years.
Natural materials
Karakul (Swakara) wool and leather sit alongside living San, Himba and Kavango craft in leatherwork, ostrich-shell beadwork and palm basketry.
Energy
Namibia is a very low emitter at about 1.1 tonnes per person in 2024, and its domestic generation leans on low-carbon sources, chiefly the Ruacana hydropower station plus fast-growing solar, together supplying around 40 per cent of home-produced electricity. The country imports much of its remaining power from South Africa's coal-heavy grid, which is its main indirect emissions burden.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Namibia?
By rooms · company records and press.
Wolwedans · ~19 roomsIndependentnot published
Shipwreck Lodge · ~10 roomsIndependentnot published
Wilderness Little Kulala · ~11 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
20151,488k
20161,551k
20171,581k
20181,639k
20191,651k
2020187k
International tourism receipts run at about US$0.15 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 4% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
Visiting Namibia, whoever you are.
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, root vegetables, maize, grapes, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses and vegetables, over an imported menu.
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays.
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays
4. Use the transport residents use Self-drive on gravel roads, a 4x4 for the north and west, with great distances between towns.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
Swipe
First time here
An arid, sparsely peopled land of red dunes and desert-adapted wildlife, run in large part through community conservancies that channel tourism revenue to residents.
Best time: The dry winter, best for wildlife.
Getting around
Self-drive on gravel roads, a 4x4 for the north and west, with great distances between towns.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is root vegetables, maize, grapes, onions, wheat, fruits, pulses and vegetables. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
Cards in towns, cash in the bush; NAD pegged to the rand. Dust is a constant.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Who owns the big hotels
WolwedansIndependent · 19 rooms
Shipwreck LodgeIndependent · 10 rooms
Wilderness Little KulalaIndependent · 11 rooms
None of the 3 properties listed here publishes who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Namibia.
How well is Namibia actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Namibia scores 55 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
What is daily life in Namibia really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Self-drive on gravel roads, a 4x4 for the north and west, with great distances between towns.
87.6%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 9.1% of GDP and 24.6% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 82.0% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2024 to 2025).
Made in Namibia.
Karakul (Swakara) wool and leather sit alongside living San, Himba and Kavango craft in leatherwork, ostrich-shell beadwork and palm basketry. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Namibia actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Namibia sells the world is pearls, gemstones and precious metals, 35.0% of all exports in 2023 (about US$1.93 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are ores, slag and ash at 16.6%, fish and seafood at 14.3%, mineral fuels and oils at 5.7%, copper at 4.6%.
Made now · natural materials
Karakul (Swakara) wool
Worked in Namibia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Leather sit alongside living San
Worked in Namibia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Himba
Worked in Namibia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Kavango craft in leatherwork
Worked in Namibia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Ostrich-shell beadwork
Worked in Namibia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Palm basketry
Worked in Namibia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Buys in · 10.5% of imports
Machinery and mechanical appliances
Namibia imported US$0.77 billion of machinery and mechanical appliances in 2023, 10.5% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 9.2% of imports
Vehicles
Namibia imported US$0.67 billion of vehicles in 2023, 9.2% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 6.3% of imports
Electrical machinery and electronics
Namibia imported US$0.46 billion of electrical machinery and electronics in 2023, 6.3% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
Buys in · 2.8% of imports
Iron and steel articles
Namibia imported US$0.20 billion of iron and steel articles in 2023, 2.8% of everything it bought abroad, and sells none of it back. Every point of that is a business that could be built at home rather than shipped in. UN Comtrade.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Namibia produces about US$15 billion a year, which is roughly US$4,876 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 7% of that, while food is 13.2% of everything the country imports. The country buys in more food than its own farms contribute to the economy, and every point of that gap is a business someone could build here rather than ship in.
See the verified makersCulture in Namibia.
Rekindled every day by the household elder
Okuruuo, the holy fire
The holy fire sits between the main house and the kraal in OvaHerero and OvaMbanderu homesteads. It is believed to be where the ancestors and the creator reside, and it is used for treating ailments, naming newborn babies and other purposes.
August
OvaHerero Otjiserandu commemorations
Each August the Ovaherero gather in Okahandja to mark the return of Paramount Chief Samuel Maharero's remains in 1923. On Red Flag Day, troops of the Red Flag march to the graves to honour the fallen.
At key social occasions
Nama≠Nāb, the Nama dance steps
The dancing steps of the Nama people, which go with Nama ancestral music played on the musical bow, traditional guitar, accordion and harmonica. UNESCO added this music to its list of heritage in need of urgent safeguarding in 2020.
Does Namibia protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Namibia is home to some of the oldest continuously living cultures on earth, and ancestral traditions remain strong. The San, including the Ju/'hoansi of Nyae Nyae, keep deep hunting and tracking knowledge and the healing or trance dance, one of the most closely documented Indigenous healing traditions in southern Africa. The OvaHimba maintain ancestor veneration around the holy fire and their distinctive ochre dress, while the OvaHerero hold Otjiserandu commemorations in their well-known Victorian-influenced attire.
Who it belongs to. Living Himba, San, Herero, Damara and Nama communities remain central to the country, and the communal conservancy model directs tourism and wildlife revenue to residents, a widely cited global example of community-based natural resource management.
Only here. Welwitschia mirabilis, a Namib living-fossil plant that can survive over a thousand years..
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Namibia · UNESCO, Aboxan Musik, ancestral musical sound knowledge and skills of the Nama · UNESCO, Safeguarding of Okuruuo in Namibia · Namibia Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, Tentative National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (2019) · Namibia Press Agency, Ovaherero urged to cast aside divisions for 103rd Samuel Maharero commemoration · Namibian.org, OvaHerero commemorate Maharero's homecoming a hundred years ago · Mmegi, Baherero culture kept alive through Otjiserandu
The Future of Namibia.
Three futures for Namibia, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Craft Centre Parking (Windhoek), Tsumkwe Craft Centre (closed) (Otjozondjupa), Craft Café (Windhoek), Independence Memorial Museum (Windhoek), Museum Swakopmund (Swakopmund). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Aurora Curios & Gifts Shop, Dishouwdt, Kaleidoscope, Knerts Creations & Craft, Kumbula Africa, Ohambo Store.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 10.2% to 9.77% across 29 recorded years.
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 96.8% to 93.4% across 26 recorded years.
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 1.12 t to 1.2 t across 29 recorded years.
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 421k to 187k across 25 recorded years.
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 44% to 39.9% across 12 recorded years.
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 41% to 22.3% across 30 recorded years.
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 1.7% to 1.7% across 12 recorded years.
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 47.2% to 47.1% across 29 recorded years.
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 28.7% to 50.9% across 30 recorded years.
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 16 µg/m³ to 14.2 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 3,845 m³ to 2,132 m³ across 27 recorded years.
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 21.2% to 36.5% across 27 recorded years.
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 30% to 59.3% across 29 recorded years.
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 2,483 to 4,876 across 30 recorded years.
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 1,602k to 3,093k across 30 recorded years.
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 32.1% to 30% across 26 recorded years.
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 572 kg to 677 kg across 29 recorded years.
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 26.9% to 24.4% across 12 recorded years.
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 57.5 yrs to 67.5 yrs across 29 recorded years.
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 220 kg/ha to 184 kg/ha across 29 recorded years.
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 0.12 kg/ha to 27.1 kg/ha across 26 recorded years.
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 71.3% to 49.1% across 30 recorded years.
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 17.3 $/m3 to 110 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 10% to 9.48% across 23 recorded years.
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 84,141 km2 to 80,430 km2 across 30 recorded years.
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 969 kWh to 1,246 kWh across 29 recorded years.
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 7.6 to 8.14 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
How have industrial processes emissions moved?
Industrial Processes emissions moved from 0.01 to 1.14 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, recycling at 1/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
What the best case actually asks for
Lift recycling
It scores 1 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Namibia's record. Formal recycling is limited, with kerbside schemes such as Rent-A-Drum operating in Windhoek but little collection nationally.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift plant-based eating
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Namibia's record. Mahangu porridge, maize, beans and wild greens provide a plant-based base, but the food culture is strongly meat-centred around beef and game and dedicated plant-based options are limited outside the capital.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift organic farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Namibia's record. Certified organic cropland is minimal and a national share could not be verified, but Namibia's wild-harvested Devil's Claw is certified organic and FairWild for export, giving it a genuine if narrow organic sector.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Namibia.
Who is in charge of Namibia now · Office-holders from the UN Protocol and Liaison Service public list of Heads of State and Heads of Government, 20 October 2026. Legislature and election dates from IFES ElectionGuide. Constitution dates from the Constitute Project. Governance scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024.
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
President
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the head of government of Namibia, in office since 21 March 2025. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government scores 64.6 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 64.5 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Control of corruption scores 51.0 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 51.4 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Political stability and absence of violence scores 78.6 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Up from 76.3 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Rule of law scores 64.8 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 65.0 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Regulatory quality scores 56.7 out of 100 in 2025. On this World Bank scale, 100 is the strongest governance measured. Down from 58.1 in 2024. World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025 data (updated 25 September 2026)
Netumbo Nandi-NdaitwahPresident
ParliamentLegislature, bicameral
Last election27 November 2024
Constitution1990, as revised to 2014
Government typepresidential republic
Namibia national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
Plain Answers About Namibia.
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
Swipe
Is Namibia sustainable?
Namibia scores 65 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. An arid, sparsely peopled land of red dunes and desert-adapted wildlife, run in large part through community conservancies that channel tourism revenue to residents.
Is the water in Namibia safe and plentiful?
Namibia is one of the driest countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with perennial rivers only along its borders, the Orange, Kunene, Okavango and Zambezi, and an interior reliant on ephemeral rivers, groundwater, coastal desalination and Windhoek's pioneering direct reuse of reclaimed water. About 84.3% of people use at least a basic drinking water service (World Bank JMP, 2020) and treated town tap water is safe.
Can Namibia feed itself?
The arid climate limits agriculture to livestock ranching and northern mahangu millet, so Namibia imports a large share of its cereals and staple foods in most years.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Namibia?
Mahangu porridge, maize, beans and wild greens provide a plant-based base, but the food culture is strongly meat-centred around beef and game and dedicated plant-based options are limited outside the capital.
How much of Namibia is actually protected?
About 39.9% of the land is protected (World Bank, 2024), and Namibia was the first African country to write environmental protection into its constitution and pioneered communal conservancies that place a further large area under community conservation. Enforcement supports custodianship of the largest free-roaming black rhino population, while marine cover is about 1.71% of territorial waters.
What wildlife is left in Namibia?
Namibia holds desert-adapted elephants and lions found almost nowhere else, the largest free-roaming black rhino population, a global stronghold for cheetah, and Namib endemics such as the ancient Welwitschia plant. Conservancies have driven measurable wildlife recovery.
Is Namibia on clean energy?
Namibia is a very low emitter at about 1.1 tonnes per person in 2024, and its domestic generation leans on low-carbon sources, chiefly the Ruacana hydropower station plus fast-growing solar, together supplying around 40 per cent of home-produced electricity. The country imports much of its remaining power from South Africa's coal-heavy grid, which is its main indirect emissions burden. Policy ambition is high, with one of the more ambitious NDCs and a national Green Hydrogen Strategy aiming to make Namibia a major exporter of clean fuels.
How polluted is Namibia?
Plastic bags are banned in national parks and protected areas, and the desert air is very clean, though there is no full national ban, mining raises local dust and mean annual PM2.5 exposure was 14.2 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023 (World Bank).
Does recycling work in Namibia?
Formal recycling is limited, with kerbside schemes such as Rent-A-Drum operating in Windhoek but little collection nationally.
Is the farming in Namibia organic?
Certified organic cropland is minimal and a national share could not be verified, but Namibia's wild-harvested Devil's Claw is certified organic and FairWild for export, giving it a genuine if narrow organic sector.
Are there natural materials and craft in Namibia?
Karakul (Swakara) wool and leather sit alongside living San, Himba and Kavango craft in leatherwork, ostrich-shell beadwork and palm basketry.
Is there living culture in Namibia?
Living Himba, San, Herero, Damara and Nama communities remain central to the country, and the communal conservancy model directs tourism and wildlife revenue to residents, a widely cited global example of community-based natural resource management.
What heritage does Namibia keep alive?
Namibia is home to some of the oldest continuously living cultures on earth, and ancestral traditions remain strong. The San, including the Ju/'hoansi of Nyae Nyae, keep deep hunting and tracking knowledge and the healing or trance dance, one of the most closely documented Indigenous healing traditions in southern Africa. The OvaHimba maintain ancestor veneration around the holy fire and their distinctive ochre dress, while the OvaHerero hold Otjiserandu commemorations in their well-known Victorian-influenced attire.
So is Namibia actually green? The measured answer
What is working: land protected at 39.9%, renewable electricity at 93.4%.
What is not: sea protected at 1.7% against a 30% mark.
World Bank Open Data · Protected Planet (UNEP-WCMC / WDPA) · Climate Watch (WRI) · Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026 · CIA World Factbook, Namibia geography (factbook.json mirror) · World Bank, Population, total, Namibia · World Bank, Terrestrial protected areas (% of land area), Namibia · World Bank, Renewable electricity output (% of total), Namibia · World Bank, CO2 emissions per capita, Namibia · World Bank, Cause of death by non-communicable diseases (% of total), Namibia
How Namibia Ranks, region and world.
Where Namibia sits on the Eco Index, against its Africa neighbours and the 77 destinations scored worldwide.
How does Namibia compare in Africa?
1Ethiopia70
2Zambia70
3Uganda65
4Tanzania65
Scored Africa destinations, Eco Index.
The global top 10 of the 77 destinations scored
1Switzerland78
2France78
3Finland77
4Slovenia77
5Australia77
6Portugal75
7Germany75
8New Zealand75
9Italy73
10Spain73
Namibia sits 38 of 77 at 65/100. Every name links to its own destination page, built exactly like this one. The full ranking
What is Namibia particularly good at?
✓ Energy, scored 5/5. Namibia is a very low emitter at about 1.1 tonnes per person in 2024, and its domestic generation leans on low-carbon sources, chiefly the Ruacana hydropower station plus fast-growing solar, together supplying around 40 per cent of home-produced electricity. The country imports much of its remaining power from South Africa's coal-heavy grid, which is its main indirect emissions burden. Policy ambition is high, with one of the more ambitious NDCs and a national Green Hydrogen Strategy aiming to make Namibia a major exporter of clean fuels. Abundant sun and wind underpin projects such as Hyphen that could reshape its energy future. Very low emissions and strong clean-energy ambition earn a high score, capped by reliance on imported coal power.
✓ Culture, scored 5/5. Living Himba, San, Herero, Damara and Nama communities remain central to the country, and the communal conservancy model directs tourism and wildlife revenue to residents, a widely cited global example of community-based natural resource management.
✓ Heritage, scored 5/5. Namibia is home to some of the oldest continuously living cultures on earth, and ancestral traditions remain strong. The San, including the Ju/'hoansi of Nyae Nyae, keep deep hunting and tracking knowledge and the healing or trance dance, one of the most closely documented Indigenous healing traditions in southern Africa. The OvaHimba maintain ancestor veneration around the holy fire and their distinctive ochre dress, while the OvaHerero hold Otjiserandu commemorations in their well-known Victorian-influenced attire. Nama and Damara communities keep the Nama-stap dance and riel, and Oshiwambo culture remains widely practised in the north. Living dance, music and ancestral spirituality run through daily life.
Where does Namibia score worst?
✕ Recycling, scored 1/5. Formal recycling is limited, with kerbside schemes such as Rent-A-Drum operating in Windhoek but little collection nationally.
✕ Plant-based eating, scored 2/5. Mahangu porridge, maize, beans and wild greens provide a plant-based base, but the food culture is strongly meat-centred around beef and game and dedicated plant-based options are limited outside the capital.
✕ Organic farming, scored 2/5. Certified organic cropland is minimal and a national share could not be verified, but Namibia's wild-harvested Devil's Claw is certified organic and FairWild for export, giving it a genuine if narrow organic sector.
A note from the lens of mother natureSwipe
Recycling, 1/5
Formal recycling is limited, with kerbside schemes such as Rent-A-Drum operating in Windhoek but little collection nationally.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Namibia's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Plant-based eating, 2/5
Mahangu porridge, maize, beans and wild greens provide a plant-based base, but the food culture is strongly meat-centred around beef and game and dedicated plant-based options are limited outside the capital.
Organic farming, 2/5
Certified organic cropland is minimal and a national share could not be verified, but Namibia's wild-harvested Devil's Claw is certified organic and FairWild for export, giving it a genuine if narrow organic sector.
The Namibia Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Namibia, checked and listed.
How the rest of the world scores Namibia
Independent global indices, for calibration.
Forest cover
9.8
World Bank, 2024.
Protected land
39.9
World Bank, 2025.
Protected sea
1.7
World Bank, 2025.
Renewable grid
40
Share of electricity SUPPLIED, not generated. The Namibia Statistics Agency records local generation at 55.4% of national demand, with the rest imported from South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the split swinging with water levels at Ruacana. Domestic generation is almost entirely renewable, led by Ruacana hydro, but the grid a household actually draws on is far less so. Aggregators that report generation only put Namibia above 93%.
CO2 per person
1.2 t (2024)
World Bank, 2024.
Threatened species
144 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Recorded figure, sourced on this page.
Control of corruption
51.0 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Government effectiveness
54.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Rule of law
64.8 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Political stability
78.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Voice and accountability
64.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025. Score from 0 to 100, where 100 is the strongest governance.
Environmental Performance Index
42.8 / 100 · 77 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 77 of 177 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
56.0 / 100 · 25 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 25 of 177 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
55.1 / 100 · 44 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 44 of 177 countries assessed.
Air quality
25.0 / 100 · 133 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 133 of 177 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
100.0 / 100 · 1 of 177
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 1 of 177 countries assessed.
Marine habitat protected
0.0 / 100 · 96 of 111
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2026, ranked 96 of 111 countries assessed.
How Namibia Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Seven pillars are scored from published measurements with the same fixed thresholds everywhere: energy (low-carbon share of electricity, 90% or more scores 5, 70% 4, 50% 3, 25% 2), conservation (land and sea protected), water (safe drinking water, wastewater treated, water stress), organic farmland, recycling, food import dependence and air quality. Where a measurement is not published for a place, that pillar keeps its source-assessed score and is labelled as such. Wildlife, culture, heritage, materials and plant-based eating have no comparable measurement and are assessed from the named sources. The Eco Index is the average of the twelve pillar scores multiplied by 20. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Water
Safe drinking water, wastewater treated and water stress. Measured.
02
Food & farming
How much of the import bill is food: whether the place feeds itself. Measured.
03
Plant-based
How easy it is to eat plant-based, from documented sources.
04
Organic
Certified organic share of farmland. Measured.
05
Conservation
Land and sea legally protected, against the 30 by 30 goal. Measured.
06
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost, from documented sources.
07
Materials
Local natural fibres and craft, from documented sources.
08
Pollution
Air quality (PM2.5, measured) and plastics and waste policy.
09
Recycling
Share of municipal waste recycled. Measured.
10
Energy
Low-carbon share of electricity, nuclear included. Measured.
11
Culture
Living culture and community-led visits, from documented sources.
12
Heritage
What the law keeps standing, from documented sources.
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
0
Absent
nothing verifiable exists
1
Failing
measurably going the wrong way
2
Weak
claims outrun delivery
3
Fair
real effort, mixed results
4
Strong
genuinely good, evidence named
5
Leading
world class, and the trend holds
Where the numbers come from.
The institutions above are the ones cited on this page, ranked by how many of its figures they carry. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
Every figure on this page, and where it came from: 75 sources across 30 institutions
World Bank18 FIGURES
- Forest area (% of land area) AG.LND.FRST.ZS, 2023 check
- Terrestrial protected areas (% of land area) ER.LND.PTLD.ZS, 2024 check
- Marine protected areas (% of territorial waters) ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS, 2025 check
- Threatened species (mammals EN.MAM.THRD.NO, birds EN.BIR.THRD.NO, fish EN.FSH.THRD.NO, higher plants EN.HPT.THRD.NO), 2022 check
- PM2.5 air pollution mean annual exposure EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3, 2023 check
- Renewable electricity output (% of total) EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS, 2021 check
- CO2 emissions per capita EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5, 2024 check
- GDP (current US$) NY.GDP.MKTP.CD, 2025 check
- International tourist arrivals ST.INT.ARVL, 2020 check
- Agricultural land (% of land area) AG.LND.AGRI.ZS, 2023 check
- Arable land (% of land area) AG.LND.ARBL.ZS, 2023 check
- Agriculture, value added (% of GDP) NV.AGR.TOTL.ZS, 2025 check
- Adult literacy rate SE.ADT.LITR.ZS, 2023 check
- Renewable internal freshwater per capita (m3) ER.H2O.INTR.PC, 2022 check
- Overweight prevalence, adults (%) SH.STA.OWAD.ZS, 2022 check
- Central government debt (% of GDP) GC.DOD.TOTL.GD.ZS, 2015 check
- Population total SP.POP.TOTL, 2025 check
- What a Waste 2.0 country-level dataset check
Integrated Rural Development and Nature Conservation (IRDNC)7 FIGURES
- Namibia, Our Impact, Namibia holds desert-adapted elephants and lions found almost nowhere else, the largest free-roaming black rhi check
- Namibia, Our Impact corroboration check
- Namibia, Our Impact corroboration check
- Namibia, Our Impact corroboration check
- Namibia, Our Impact corroboration check
- Namibia, Our Impact corroboration check
- Namibia, Our Impact corroboration check
IUCN Red List5 FIGURES
- Diceros bicornis (Black Rhinoceros), Emslie 2020, assessed Critically Endangered corroboration check
- Diceros bicornis (Black Rhinoceros), Emslie 2020, assessed Critically Endangered corroboration check
- Gyps africanus (White-backed Vulture), assessed 2021, Critically Endangered, Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird). check
- Gyps africanus (White-backed Vulture), assessed 2021, Critically Endangered corroboration check
- Gyps africanus (White-backed Vulture), assessed 2021, Critically Endangered corroboration check
Other published sources4 FIGURES
- A national figure is published: 14.2 micrograms per cubic metre, 2023 check
- GBIF species profile for Lithops optica linked to its IUCN Red List assessment (iucnTaxonID 46790, category CRITICALLY_ENDANGERED), Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (plant). check
- GBIF species profile for Lithops optica linked to its IUCN Red List assessment (iucnTaxonID 46790, category CRITICALLY_ENDANGERED) corroboration check
- GBIF species profile for Lithops optica linked to its IUCN Red List assessment (iucnTaxonID 46790, category CRITICALLY_ENDANGERED) corroboration check
UNESCO Institute for Statistics4 FIGURES
- public data API, indicator XGDP.FSGOV (government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP), Namibia, Public spending on education runs at 9.1% of GDP and 24.6% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment check
- public data API, indicator XGDP.FSGOV (government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP), Namibia corroboration check
- public data API, indicator XGDP.FSGOV (government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP), Namibia corroboration check
- public data API, indicator XGDP.FSGOV (government expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP), Namibia corroboration check
BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC3 FIGURES
- UN SDG Global Database, terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_PTD_TERR, Namibia, 2025 (82.0%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, marine Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_MRN_MPA, Namibia, 2025 (83.0%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas covered by protected areas (%) ER_PTD_FRHWTR, Namibia, 2025 (86.3%), country-reported check
FAO, Global Forest Resources Assessment3 FIGURES
- UN SDG Global Database, forest area (% of land area) AG_LND_FRST, Namibia, 2025 (9.8%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, forest area under a long-term management plan (%) AG_LND_FRSTMGT, Namibia, 2025 (2.6%), country-reported check
- UN SDG Global Database, forest area inside legally established protected areas (%) AG_LND_FRSTPRCT, Namibia, 2025 (20.9%), country-reported check
German Federal Government (Bundesregierung)3 FIGURES
- Commemoration of the genocide of the Herero and Nama, Between 1904 and 1908 German colonial forces carried out the extermination of Herero and Nama people, recognis check
- Commemoration of the genocide of the Herero and Nama corroboration check
- Commemoration of the genocide of the Herero and Nama corroboration check
UN Human Rights Council3 FIGURES
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya: The situation of indigenous peoples in Namibia, A/HRC/24/41 Addendum, 25 April 2013, Namibia is home to some of the oldest continuously living cultures on earth, and ancestral traditions remain s check
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya: The situation of indigenous peoples in Namibia, A/HRC/24/41 Addendum, 25 April 2013 corroboration check
- Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, James Anaya: The situation of indigenous peoples in Namibia, A/HRC/24/41 Addendum, 25 April 2013 corroboration check
Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF)2 FIGURES
- New era for waste management as plastic carrier bags banned from protected areas, 22 November 2018, Plastic bags banned in national parks and protected areas, no full national ban yet. check
- New era for waste management as plastic carrier bags banned from protected areas, 22 November 2018 corroboration check
Low Carbon Power2 FIGURES
Ministry of Environment2 FIGURES
- Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Namibia, Minister's statement at the commemoration of World Rhino Day, 22 September 2023, Enforcement supports custodianship of the largest free-roaming black rhino population, while marine cover is a check
- Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Namibia, Minister's statement at the commemoration of World Rhino Day, 22 September 2023 corroboration check
NamibRand Nature Reserve2 FIGURES
Climate Watch (WRI)1 FIGURE
- Net-Zero Tracker check
Constitute Project1 FIGURE
- Namibia 1990 (rev. 2014) check
Convention on Biological Diversity1 FIGURE
- Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Target 3, The 30x30 target is 30% by 2030, so 28.3 percentage points are still to be designated. check
FAOSTAT 2024 puts edible roots and tubers first at 3791 FIGURE
- 322 t, nearly ten times grapes (40,324 t); maize is 30,056 t and onions and shallots only fourth at 26,766 t check
First African country only; India (1976)1 FIGURE
- Portugal (1976) and Spain (1978) all wrote environmental protection into their constitutions before Namibia's 1990 Article 95(l) check
Green Hydrogen Organisation1 FIGURE
- Namibia country profile check
IEA, World Energy Balances1 FIGURE
- UN SDG Global Database, renewable share of total final energy consumption (%) EG_FEC_RNEW, Namibia, 2023 (30.4%), modelled estimate check
IFES ElectionGuide1 FIGURE
- Namibia elections and chambers check
IUCN1 FIGURE
- Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition, Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Namibia. check
Namibia Ministry of Environment1 FIGURE
- Forestry and Tourism, national protected-area and wildlife authority check
Namibia Statistics Agency1 FIGURE
- national statistical authority check
Our World in Data1 FIGURE
- CO2 emissions per capita, 2024 check
South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)1 FIGURE
- PlantZAfrica: Welwitschia mirabilis corroboration check
UN Environment Programme1 FIGURE
- national plastic-bag legislation check
UN Protocol and Liaison Service1 FIGURE
- Heads of State, Heads of Government and Ministers for Foreign Affairs, public list dated 20 October 2026 check
UNESCO1 FIGURE
- Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity check
World Bank JMP1 FIGURE
- People using at least basic drinking water services (% of population) SH.H2O.BASW.ZS, 2020 check