Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Namibia instead of Ethiopia, you would:

Health

be 12.9 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ethiopia, 0.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Namibia, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2020.

live 1.8 years less

In Ethiopia, the average life expectancy is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2022.

be 3.8 times more likely to be obese

In Ethiopia, 4.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Namibia, that number is 17.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 4.1 times more money

Ethiopia has a GDP per capita of $2,800 as of 2023, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $11,500 as of 2023.

be 26.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Ethiopia, 23.5% live below the poverty line as of 2015. In Namibia, however, that number is 17.4% as of 2015.

be 5.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Ethiopia, 3.5% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 19.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 19.5% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ethiopia, approximately 267.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Namibia, 215.0 women do as of 2020.

be 78.2% more likely to be literate

In Ethiopia, the literacy rate is 51.8% as of 2017. In Namibia, it is 92.3% as of 2021.

be 12.2% less likely to die during infancy

In Ethiopia, approximately 33.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Namibia, on the other hand, 29.4 children do as of 2022.

have 17.9% fewer children

In Ethiopia, there are approximately 29.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 24.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 3.1 times more likely to have internet access

In Ethiopia, approximately 17.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Namibia, about 53.0% do as of 2021.

be 19.6% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Ethiopia, approximately 76% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 70% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Namibia, that number is 91% of people on average (99% in urban areas, and 83% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 2.1 times more on education

Ethiopia spends 4.5% of its total GDP on education as of 2019. Namibia spends 9.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 2.5 times more on healthcare

Ethiopia spends 3.5% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Namibia, that number is 8.9% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Namibia: At a glance

Namibia is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 823,290 sq km. South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war of independence for the area that became Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia has been governed by SWAPO since the country won independence in 1990. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during its first 14 years of self rule. POHAMBA was reelected in November 2009.
Read more

How big is Namibia compared to Ethiopia? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Namibia.or Ethiopia It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.