Share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia
Namibia: Share of women who are married or in a union was 3.5% in 2018. ▼ Falling
Share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia, 1970–2018
Source: United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia is 3.5%, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia peaked at 10.7% in 1970 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 2018.
That places Namibia 138th out of 221 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 10.7% | — |
| 1971 | 10.5% | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 10.3% | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 10.2% | -1.9% |
| 1974 | 10.0% | -1.9% |
| 1975 | 9.8% | -1.9% |
| 1976 | 9.6% | -2.0% |
| 1977 | 9.4% | -2.0% |
| 1978 | 9.2% | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 9.0% | -2.1% |
| 1980 | 8.8% | -2.1% |
| 1981 | 8.6% | -2.2% |
| 1982 | 8.4% | -2.2% |
| 1983 | 8.2% | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 8.0% | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 7.8% | -2.4% |
| 1986 | 7.7% | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 7.5% | -2.5% |
| 1988 | 7.3% | -2.6% |
| 1989 | 7.1% | -2.6% |
| 1990 | 6.9% | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 6.7% | -2.8% |
| 1992 | 6.5% | -2.9% |
| 1993 | 6.3% | -3.0% |
| 1994 | 6.1% | -3.1% |
| 1995 | 5.9% | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 5.7% | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 5.5% | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 5.3% | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 5.2% | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 4.8% | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 4.7% | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 4.6% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 4.5% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 4.2% | -2.1% |
| 2008 | 4.1% | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 4.0% | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 4.0% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 3.8% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 3.7% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 3.6% | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 3.5% | -1.1% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 3.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.9%, 30% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 3.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.7%, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 9.9% | 9.0% | 10.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 7.9% | 7.1% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.0% | 5.2% | 6.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 4.0% | 5.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.7% | 3.5% | 4.0% | 9 |
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 share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia?
- Share of women who are married or in a union in Namibia was 3.5% in 2018, according to United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.7% in 1970.
- What is the lowest share of women who are married or in a union recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 2018.
- How does Namibia rank for share of women who are married or in a union?
- Namibia ranks 138th out of 221 countries with data for 2018.
- Is share of women who are married or in a union rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations (2024) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are married or in a union. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Percentage of women aged 15-19 sharing a household with their partner, whether married, cohabiting, in consensual partnerships, or in other non-marital unions.