Namibia
Africa · Southern Africa
Africa's most sparsely populated country, and one of its most stable democracies, wrapped in desert.
Backpacker
Ideal destination
At a Glance
📈Namibia's Human Development Index
0.610
Medium human development#141 of 191 countries worldwide, #15 of 54 in Africa.
Higher than 26% of countries with data. UNDP Human Development Report.
UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita.
Closest indicators in this dataset
World Bank, own vintages. UNDP’s own component values are not carried here, so these are related measures rather than the index inputs.
Nearest countries by HDI
Full HDI ranking, all 191 countries →Namibia
Namibia is a southern African country of haunting desert beauty, where the orange dunes of Sossusvlei, the vast Etosha salt pan, the Skeleton Coast, and the ancient Himba culture of the northwest combine to create one of the most visually dramatic landscapes on earth. The country is sparsely populated, well-organised, and safe for independent travel by 4x4. Those who love landscape, wildlife, and a sense of being genuinely far from the crowd will find it deeply satisfying.
- Most sparsely populated country in Africa.
- Home to the Namib Desert — the oldest desert on earth, over 55 million years old.
- Has the largest free-roaming cheetah population in the world.
Quick Facts
Capital
Windhoek
Languages
Afrikaans, German, English, Herero
Currency
$ NAD
Area
823,290 km²
Nomad Hub
Fixed Broadband
16Mbps
Digital Nomad Visa
Min. Income
$2,000/mo
Duration
6 months
Renewable
No
Application Fee
~N$2,200
~$124
GDP / Capita
$5K
PPP / Capita
$12K
Inflation
3.5%
Unemployment
19.3%
Innovation (GII)
23.5
GNI / Capita
$4K
Tax Revenue
33.9%
FDI Inflows
14.2%
Education Spend
9.1%
Cost of Living
36.3
Price Level Index
57th pct
20-Year Trend + IMF Forecast
Income & inflation over time
HDI since 1990
0.595 → 0.610 (+0.015)Year by year →UNDP Human Development Report, 2023-24 edition. 33 annual values, none interpolated; hover any point for its year.
Twenty years here
Year by year →The world report →World Bank observations, first to last available year per indicator (roughly 2005–2024; each series has its own window).
Thinking about Namibia for real?
The matcher weighs your budget, timeline and dealbreakers against the same data on this page, then answers with the places that actually fit.
Find your match →Neighbouring Countries
Namibia head-to-head
💬Quick answers
What is Namibia's Human Development Index?
Namibia's Human Development Index is 0.610 (UNDP Human Development Report), ranked #141 of 191 countries.
Is Namibia safe?
Namibia scores 1.87 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #62 of 160 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.
How expensive is Namibia?
Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts Namibia at 36.3 (New York = 100); that is #50 cheapest of 143 countries with data.
What is life expectancy in Namibia?
Life expectancy at birth in Namibia is 67.5 yrs (World Bank), ranked #151 of 195 countries.