Namibia population pyramid 2026
3,153,246 people in 2026 (projected). Namibia’s pyramid shows a pinched 20–24 band, born at the height of the HIV epidemic, and a large female surplus at older ages.
- 2026 population
- 3.2Mrank 137 of 237
- Median age
- 21.5 yearsoldest rank 187
- Fertility rate
- 3.13births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.9% age 65+
Namibia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Namibia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 36.3% of the population, while 3.9% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 59.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Namibia’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 67.2: about 67 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (60.6 children and 6.5 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Namibia’s population pyramid
Marks of the HIV epidemic
Namibia had one of the most severe HIV epidemics in the world, and the pyramid shows its effects in two ways. Life expectancy, about 61 in 1990, fell to about 56 by 2010 before recovering to about 67 by 2023 as treatment spread. And the 2026 pyramid has a notch at ages 20–24, people born about 2002–06, which is about 8.5% narrower than the bands on either side. Those birth years coincided with the peak of HIV mortality among young adults, and followed a rapid fall in fertility, from about 5.4 children per woman in 1990 to 4.0 in 2000. The chart shows the shortfall but cannot separate fewer births from higher child mortality.
Below the notch the base is uneven too: the 5–9 band, born about 2017–21, is about 9% wider than its neighbours and wider than the 0–4 band. Fertility is now about 3.1, and births, at about 79,000 a year, are four times the number of deaths.
Women outnumber men
The sex ratio is about 95 men per 100 women overall, low for a young population. Part of the imbalance is long-standing: in 1975, under South African rule, women outnumbered men in every age band, with fewer than 80 men per 100 women at ages 55–59, a pattern consistent with men’s absence through the contract labour system and the independence war, though the chart cannot confirm the cause. Today the main driver is mortality. Women live about eight years longer than men, 71.8 years against 63.7, and the gap compounds with age: there are about 76 men per 100 women at ages 60–64 and only 43 at 80–84. The guide to median age and life expectancy explains how such differences shape the top of a pyramid.
Namibia is also one of the most thinly populated countries on earth, with fewer than four people per square kilometre. Its 2026 age structure resembles those of Gabon, Tajikistan and the State of Palestine more than that of neighbouring South Africa. Under the UN medium scenario the population rises from about 3.2 million in 2026 to 4.5 million by 2050 and almost 5.9 million by 2100, when it is still growing slowly.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Namibia’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Namibia is projected to record 78,927 births (about 216 births a day) and 19,540 deaths, a natural increase of 59,387. Net migration adds +47 people, ranking #97 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 1,603,437 births, 546,419 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +142,984. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −17,695 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 71.8 years44.2 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 63.7 years39.8 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 14.9 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 25.9per 1,000 births · 139 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 35.1per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.9 yearssex ratio at birth 101.1
Women in Namibia are projected to live 8.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 139 to 25.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #51 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.9 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Namibia
The median age of 21.5 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.13 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 67.8 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,153,246 | #137 | Largest first |
| Median age | 21.5 years | #187 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.13 | #50 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.9% | #48 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 67.8 years | #192 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.9% | #188 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Namibia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5–9 | 403,183 | 12.8% | 201K / 202.2K |
| 2 | 0–4 | 388,431 | 12.3% | 194.6K / 193.8K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 352,265 | 11.2% | 174.7K / 177.5K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 300,404 | 9.5% | 149.1K / 151.3K |
| 5 | 25–29 | 263,026 | 8.3% | 131.3K / 131.8K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Namibia has 1,539,719 males and 1,613,526 females. That is 95.4 males per 100 females, ranking #172 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 48.8% of the population and females for 51.2%. There are 73,807 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 59.1 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 101.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Namibia has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 514,591 in 1950 to 3,153,246 in 2026, a change of 513%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.8 to 21.5 years.
The under-15 share changed from 39.0% to 36.3%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 4.1% to 3.9%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Namibia’s population is projected to grow by about 43%, reaching 4,512,300 in 2050. The median age changes from 21.5 to 27.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 3.1 percentage points to 7.0%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 27.5%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 5,897,944. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 514,591 | 19.8 | 5.61 | 41.9 | 21,085 | 11,354 | −4,091 | +1.1% |
| 1960 | 591,464 | 17.8 | 6.24 | 48.5 | 24,894 | 10,588 | −3,227 | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 757,868 | 17.0 | 6.52 | 54.7 | 32,927 | 10,512 | −244 | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 981,434 | 15.5 | 6.24 | 56.6 | 39,850 | 11,708 | −15,041 | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 1,369,302 | 17.3 | 5.40 | 61.4 | 56,083 | 12,126 | +3,969 | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 1,818,647 | 18.0 | 3.99 | 52.9 | 57,491 | 22,212 | +5,709 | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 2,109,810 | 19.4 | 3.66 | 56.1 | 65,416 | 23,371 | −8,518 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 2,728,762 | 20.8 | 3.35 | 64.1 | 75,551 | 20,518 | +27,056 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 2,963,095 | 21.0 | 3.21 | 67.4 | 76,715 | 18,279 | +11,675 | +2.4% |
| 2024* | 3,030,131 | 21.1 | 3.21 | 67.5 | 78,452 | 18,713 | +4,211 | +2.1% |
| 2026* | 3,153,246 | 21.5 | 3.13 | 67.8 | 78,927 | 19,540 | +47 | +1.9% |
| 2030* | 3,389,958 | 22.2 | 2.98 | 68.4 | 79,751 | 21,331 | +1,232 | +1.8% |
| 2040* | 3,962,405 | 24.7 | 2.65 | 69.6 | 84,800 | 26,855 | −3,165 | +1.4% |
| 2050* | 4,512,300 | 27.9 | 2.43 | 70.9 | 86,333 | 33,505 | +449 | +1.2% |
| 2060* | 4,992,780 | 30.3 | 2.26 | 72.1 | 83,803 | 40,946 | +1,565 | +0.9% |
| 2070* | 5,361,952 | 32.6 | 2.13 | 73.4 | 81,943 | 48,740 | −2,897 | +0.6% |
| 2080* | 5,635,057 | 34.7 | 2.04 | 74.7 | 79,732 | 55,516 | +144 | +0.4% |
| 2090* | 5,817,169 | 36.9 | 1.97 | 76.0 | 75,333 | 60,865 | −85 | +0.3% |
| 2100* | 5,897,944 | 38.8 | 1.91 | 77.3 | 71,230 | 66,179 | +270 | +0.1% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 194,640 | 193,791 | 388,431 | 12.3% |
| 5–9 | 201,029 | 202,154 | 403,183 | 12.8% |
| 10–14 | 174,729 | 177,536 | 352,265 | 11.2% |
| 15–19 | 149,134 | 151,270 | 300,404 | 9.5% |
| 20–24 | 130,018 | 127,653 | 257,671 | 8.2% |
| 25–29 | 131,262 | 131,764 | 263,026 | 8.3% |
| 30–34 | 124,026 | 129,320 | 253,346 | 8.0% |
| 35–39 | 105,389 | 111,793 | 217,182 | 6.9% |
| 40–44 | 85,385 | 90,889 | 176,274 | 5.6% |
| 45–49 | 70,627 | 73,316 | 143,943 | 4.6% |
| 50–54 | 56,212 | 59,459 | 115,671 | 3.7% |
| 55–59 | 41,271 | 47,609 | 88,880 | 2.8% |
| 60–64 | 30,299 | 39,611 | 69,910 | 2.2% |
| 65–69 | 21,258 | 30,963 | 52,221 | 1.7% |
| 70–74 | 12,465 | 19,710 | 32,175 | 1.0% |
| 75–79 | 7,128 | 13,357 | 20,485 | 0.6% |
| 80–84 | 3,414 | 7,902 | 11,316 | 0.4% |
| 85–89 | 1,137 | 3,693 | 4,830 | 0.2% |
| 90–94 | 260 | 1,347 | 1,607 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 36 | 334 | 370 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 2 | 54 | 56 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Namibia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Gabon97% overlap · median age 21.6
- Tajikistan97% overlap · median age 22.4
- State of Palestine97% overlap · median age 20.3
- Kiribati97% overlap · median age 23.0
- Vanuatu97% overlap · median age 20.3
- Ghana97% overlap · median age 21.6
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Namibia.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Namibia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/namibia/
MLA
“Namibia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/namibia/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Namibia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/namibia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Namibia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Namibia's population in 2026 is projected at 3,153,246.
What is the median age in Namibia?
The projected median age in Namibia in 2026 is 21.5 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Namibia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.13 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Namibia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 43%, from 3.2M to 4.5M.
What share of Namibia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.9% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 7.0%.
How many babies are born in Namibia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 78,927 births and 19,540 deaths in 2026, about 216 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 59,387.
What is life expectancy in Namibia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 71.8 years for women and 63.7 years for men, a gap of 8.1 years in favour of women.
Does Namibia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Namibia is projected to gain about 47 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +142,984.
What is the sex ratio in Namibia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 95.4 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.