Destinations › · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Namibia.
Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and South Africa. 824,292 sq km and 3,092,816 people, 1,572 km of coastline, desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic.
Region · Population · ~3,092,816Languages · Oshiwambo languages, Nama and Damara, Kavango languages, Afrikaans, Otjiherero, English (official)Eco Index · /100 · Not yet scored
Namibia is home to some of the oldest continuously living cultures on earth, and ancestral traditions remain strong. The San, including the Ju/'hoansi, keep hunting knowledge and the trance healing dance that scholars regard as among humanity's oldest spiritual practices.
Where the name comes from
For the Namib, from a Khoekhoe word usually read as 'vast place'. The territory was called South West Africa under occupation; it took its own name at independence in 1990. Source: national and regional toponymic records.
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 oldest dated figurative art in Africa
Seven quartzite slabs painted in charcoal and ochre, each smaller than an adult hand, were excavated from the Apollo 11 Cave in 1969. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal and ostrich eggshell from the same layer places them between 27,500 and 25,500 years ago, making them the oldest securely dated figurative art in Africa. Older abstract art is known, at Blombos Cave in South Africa. San communities lived across this land for tens of thousands of years and left rock art and engravings across the country.
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 then administered the territory from 1915 and extended apartheid law to it. An armed liberation struggle was fought over more than two decades, and Namibia became independent on 21 March 1990.
The timeline
27,500 to 25,500 years ago
The Apollo 11 Cave stones.
Seven quartzite slabs painted in charcoal and ochre, each smaller than an adult hand, excavated in 1969. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal and ostrich eggshell from the same layer makes them the oldest securely dated figurative art in Africa. Older abstract art is known, at Blombos Cave in South Africa. ↗
c. 25,000 years ago to today
San presence.
San communities lived across this land for tens of thousands of years, leaving rock art and engravings across the country. ↗
c. AD 500 onward
Farming and herding.
Bantu-speaking farming and herding communities settle the north, alongside Nama and Damara peoples. ↗
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. ↗
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. ↗
1915 to 1990
South African rule.
South Africa administers the territory, extending apartheid law to it. ↗
1966 to 1989
The liberation war.
An armed independence struggle is fought over more than two decades. ↗
1990
Independence.
Namibia becomes independent on 21 March 1990, the last country in mainland Africa to do so, ending South African rule. ↗
About 39.9% of the land is protected (World Bank, 2024), and Namibia was the first 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
Species to know
Recorded in Namibia and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Welwitschia mirabilis
We
Desert-adapted elephants
Namib endemics
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 africanusCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedCrassothonna opimaCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedAloe pearsoniiCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (plant).
ThreatenedTrigonoceps occipitalisCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedNecrosyrtes monachusCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Namibia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedSpheniscus demersusCritically 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).
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.
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
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.
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.
Sea protected
1.71%
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.
Cleanest water
here
The perennial Kunene and Okavango rivers in the north..
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 1.7% 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.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
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.
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.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Maize51%
Beans42%
Spinach33%
Wild greens24%
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%
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
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.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Namibia are grapes, maize and onions and shallots (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
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 a national PM2.5 figure could not be verified.
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 gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.60%
2IndustryUranium and diamond mining in Erongo and the coastal Sperrgebiet..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.14.2 µg/m³ (PM2.5)
4On the recordPlastic 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 a national PM2.5 figure could not be verified.
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.
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
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
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 play
2
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 published
3
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-grown
4
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 home
5
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 it
6
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 $100
7
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 export
8
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 exports
9
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 CO2
10
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$17bn
GDPUS$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.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
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. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
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.
WolwedansShipwreck LodgeWilderness Little Kulala
.
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.
How well is Namibia run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 50 of 100
Control of corruption scores 50.4 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is above the halfway mark of governments measured.
50
Freedom and rights, scored 63 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 62.7 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Citizens have some room to question their government.
63
Government effectiveness, scored 53 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 53.3 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated above average.
53
Income equality, scored 59 of 100
The Gini index of income inequality reads 59.1 (2015, World Bank). Zero is perfect equality and 100 is one person holding everything. Above 40 is the level usually treated as socially strained, and Namibia sits above it.
59
LGBTQ+ status: MixedSolo female travel: Take care87.6% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Uranium and diamond mining in Erongo and the coastal Sperrgebiet.
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.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 14.2 µg/m³ (PM2.5). The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest The Namib Desert and NamibRand.
✓Tap water Varies
✓What to drink Windhoek recycles and treats its water successfully; elsewhere bottle or filter.
✓Plastic rules Plastic bags banned in national parks and protected areas, no full national ban yet.
✓Sockets and voltage Type C/D/M, 230V
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.
A living tradition of Namibia, still practised rather than archived.
OvaHimba holy-fire ancestor veneration
A living tradition of Namibia, still practised rather than archived.
OvaHerero Otjiserandu commemorations
A living tradition of Namibia, still practised rather than archived.
Nama-stap
A living tradition of Namibia, still practised rather than archived.
Riel dancesA living tradition of Namibia, still practised rather than archived.
Damara punchA living tradition of Namibia, still practised rather than archived.
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, keep hunting knowledge and the trance healing dance that scholars regard as among humanity's oldest spiritual practices. 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..
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.
-24%
Forest cover
1995: 10.2 % → 2023: 7.8 %
-4%
Renewable electricity
1995: 96.8 % → 2021: 93.4 %
+8%
CO2 per person
1995: 1.12 t → 2024: 1.21 t
-56%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 421 k → 2020: 187 k
-9%
Protected land
2013: 44 % → 2025: 39.9 %
-46%
Farm workforce
1995: 41 % → 2025: 22.3 %
+0%
Protected sea
2013: 1.7 % → 2025: 1.7 %
0%
Agricultural land
1995: 47.2 % → 2023: 47.1 %
+77%
Urban population
1995: 28.7 % → 2025: 50.9 %
-11%
Air pollution
1995: 16 µg/m³ → 2023: 14.2 µg/m³
-45%
Fresh water per person
1995: 3844.8 m³ → 2022: 2131.7 m³
+73%
Adult overweight
1995: 21.2 % → 2022: 36.5 %
+98%
Electricity access
1995: 30 % → 2024: 59.3 %
+96%
GDP per person
1995: 2483 → 2025: 4876
+93%
Population
1995: 1602 k → 2025: 3093 k
-7%
Renewable energy use
1995: 32.1 % → 2021: 30 %
+22%
Energy per person
1995: 572.6 kg → 2023: 697 kg
-9%
Protected area, total
2013: 26.9 % → 2025: 24.4 %
+17%
Life expectancy
1995: 57.5 yrs → 2024: 67.5 yrs
+105%
Cereal yield
1995: 220.1 ha → 2023: 451.2 ha
+22458%
Fertiliser use
1998: 0.12 kg/ha → 2023: 27.07 kg/ha
-31%
Rural population
1995: 71.3 % → 2025: 49.1 %
+533%
Water productivity
1995: 17.3 $/m3 → 2022: 109.6 $/m3
-6%
Health spending
2000: 10.1 % → 2023: 9.5 %
-24%
Forest area
1995: 84141 km2 → 2023: 64259 km2
+27%
Electric power use
1995: 968.7 kWh → 2023: 1232 kWh
+7%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 7.6 e → 2023: 8.14 e
+11300%
Emissions: Industrial Processes
1990: 0.01 e → 2023: 1.14 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 10.2% to 7.8% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How clean is the grid?
Renewable electricity moved from 96.8% to 93.4% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 1.1 t to 1.2 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 421k to 187k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 44.0% to 39.9% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 41.0% to 22.3% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 1.7% to 1.7% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 47.2% to 47.1% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 28.7% to 50.9% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 16.0 µg/m³ to 14.2 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 3844.8 m³ to 2131.7 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 21.2% to 36.5% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 30.0% to 59.3% across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 2483 to 4876 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 1602k to 3093k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 32.1% to 30% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 572.6 kg to 696.98 kg across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 26.9% to 24.4% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 57.52 yrs to 67.52 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 220.1 kg/ha to 451.2 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 0.12 kg/ha to 27.07 kg/ha across 25 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 71.33% to 49.13% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 17.3 $/m3 to 109.61 $/m3 across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 10.05% to 9.48% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 84141 km2 to 64259 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 968.69 kWh to 1232 kWh across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
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, food and farming at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Namibia already shows it can do this: heritage scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift food and farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Namibia's record. 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. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift natural fibres
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Namibia's record. Karakul (Swakara) wool and leather sit alongside living San, Himba and Kavango craft in leatherwork, ostrich-shell beadwork and palm basketry. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
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. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Namibia.
Who is in charge of Namibia now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; 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: 62.7 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 50.4 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 75.2 / 100. Among the strongest measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 62.6 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 57 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Netumbo Nandi-NdaitwahPresident
ParliamentLegislature, bicameral
Next electionNovember 2029
Last election27 November 2024
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1990
Government typepresidential republic
Namibia national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Policy Document
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (7/30/2021) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
swipe →
Is Namibia sustainable?
Namibia scores 63 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 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 a national PM2.5 figure could not be verified.
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, keep hunting knowledge and the trance healing dance that scholars regard as among humanity's oldest spiritual practices. 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.
Where Namibia sits on the Eco Index, against its regional neighbours and the 0 destinations scored worldwide.
What is Namibia particularly good at?
✓Conservation, scored 5/5. About 39.9% of the land is protected (World Bank, 2024), and Namibia was the first 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.
✓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, keep hunting knowledge and the trance healing dance that scholars regard as among humanity's oldest spiritual practices. 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?
✕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.
✕Recycling, scored 2/5. Formal recycling is limited, with kerbside schemes such as Rent-A-Drum operating in Windhoek but little collection nationally.
✕Water, scored 2/5. 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.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
TanzaniaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.75
EthiopiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.72
UgandaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.70
EgyptScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.60
BotswanaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.58
SeychellesScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.57
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 4/5
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.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Namibia's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Food and farming, 2/5
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.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Namibia's record, so it is where the score moves first.
Heritage, 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, keep hunting knowledge and the trance healing dance that scholars regard as among humanity's oldest spiritual practices.
Consequence: It is the lowest-scoring part of Namibia's record, so it is where the score moves first.
The Namibia Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Namibia, checked and listed.
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
1.1 t (2024)
Recorded figure, sourced on this page.
Threatened species
144 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Recorded figure, sourced on this page.
Control of corruption
50.4 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
53.3 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
62.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
75.2 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
62.7 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
44.0 / 100 · 99 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 99 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
62.7 / 100 · 38 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 38 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
69.5 / 100 · 21 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 21 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
84.0 / 100 · 49 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 49 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
100.0 / 100 · 9 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 9 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
73.4 / 100 · 63 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 63 of 131 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. 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
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
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: 34 sources across 13 institutions
World Bank17 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
TanzaniaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.75
EthiopiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.72
UgandaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.70
EgyptScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.60
BotswanaScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.58
SeychellesScored on the same twelve pillars as Namibia.57
