Labor force, female in Namibia
Namibia: Labor force, female was 556,748 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Namibia, 1990–2025
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in Namibia is 556,748, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Namibia peaked at 556,748 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 200,839, in 1990.
That places Namibia 138th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female in Namibia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 200,839 | — |
| 1991 | 207,713 | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 214,286 | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 221,295 | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 228,436 | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 233,197 | +2.1% |
| 1996 | 237,779 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 242,104 | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 249,345 | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 256,757 | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 264,271 | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 273,627 | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 282,719 | +3.3% |
| 2003 | 291,637 | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 300,752 | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 310,677 | +3.3% |
| 2006 | 321,295 | +3.4% |
| 2007 | 332,087 | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 342,961 | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 353,780 | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 364,405 | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 375,087 | +2.9% |
| 2012 | 387,140 | +3.2% |
| 2013 | 438,031 | +13.1% |
| 2014 | 438,971 | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 443,695 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 448,035 | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 458,456 | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 469,099 | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 480,036 | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 466,652 | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 484,347 | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 511,658 | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 526,871 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 542,419 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | 556,748 | +2.6% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 556,748 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2.10 million, 26% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 556,748 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.51 million, 22% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 229,175 | 200,839 | 256,757 | 10 |
| 2000s | 307,381 | 264,271 | 353,780 | 10 |
| 2010s | 430,296 | 364,405 | 480,036 | 10 |
| 2020s | 514,782 | 466,652 | 556,748 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More gender data for Namibia
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 1,172 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 0.3037 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 2,218 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 2,218 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 2.57 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 38,320 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 38,517 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 37,694 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 37,867 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 38,396 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Namibia?
- Labor force, female in Namibia was 556,748 in 2025, according to World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 556,748 in 2025.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 200,839 in 1990.
- How does Namibia rank for labor force, female?
- Namibia ranks 138th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, World Development Indicators database. Estimates are based on data obtained from International Labour Organization and United Nations Population Division, published as part of Labor force, female. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Female labor force comprises women ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.