Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 2.1 times more likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Namibia, that number is 17.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.1 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,700 as of 2023, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $11,500 as of 2023.

be 71.0% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Namibia, however, that number is 17.4% as of 2015.

be 3.3 times more likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 19.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 20.7% less likely to die during infancy

In Zambia, approximately 37.1 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.

be 59.3% more likely to die during childbirth

In Zambia, approximately 135.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Namibia, 215.0 women do as of 2020.

have 28.7% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 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 17.6% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 48% of people have electricity access (86% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 56% of people on average (75% in urban areas, and 33% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 2.5 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Namibia, about 53.0% do as of 2021.

be 27.7% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 72% of people have improved drinking water access (90% in urban areas, and 57% 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 2.6 times more on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Namibia spends 9.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 58.9% more on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.6% 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.
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How big is Namibia compared to Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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