Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Namibia instead of United States, you would:

Health

be 52.5% less likely to be obese

In United States, 36.2% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Namibia, that number is 17.2% of people as of 2016.

live 14.1 years less

In United States, the average life expectancy is 81 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 84.4% less money

United States has a GDP per capita of $73,600 as of 2023, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $11,500 as of 2023.

be 5.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In United States, 3.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 19.4% as of 2023.

be 15.2% more likely to live below the poverty line

In United States, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2010. In Namibia, however, that number is 17.4% as of 2015.

Life

have 99.2% more children

In United States, there are approximately 12.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 24.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 10.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In United States, approximately 21.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Namibia, 215.0 women do as of 2020.

be 5.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In United States, approximately 5.2 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.

Basic Needs

be 43.8% less likely to have access to electricity

In United States, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Namibia, 56% of the population do as of 2022.

be 42.4% less likely to have internet access

In United States, approximately 92.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Namibia, about 53.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 52.7% less on healthcare

United States spends 18.8% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Namibia, that number is 8.9% of GDP as of 2020.

spend 57.4% more on education

United States spends 6.1% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Namibia spends 9.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 92.1% less coastline

United States has a total of 19,924 km of coastline. In Namibia, that number is 1,572 km.

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

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