Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

live 3.1 years longer

In Zimbabwe, the average life expectancy is 63 years (61 years for men, 66 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 11.0% more likely to be obese

In Zimbabwe, 15.5% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Namibia, that number is 17.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 3.3 times more money

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

be 54.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zimbabwe, 38.3% live below the poverty line as of 2019. In Namibia, however, that number is 17.4% as of 2015.

pay a 26.0% lower top tax rate

Zimbabwe has a top tax rate of 50.0% as of 2016. In Namibia, the top tax rate is 37.0% as of 2016.

be 2.2 times more likely to be unemployed

In Zimbabwe, 8.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 19.4% as of 2023.

Life

be 39.8% less likely to die during childbirth

In Zimbabwe, approximately 357.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Namibia, 215.0 women do as of 2020.

have 15.6% fewer children

In Zimbabwe, there are approximately 28.8 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 12.2% more likely to have access to electricity

In Zimbabwe, approximately 50% of people have electricity access (85% in urban areas, and 32% 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 51.4% more likely to have internet access

In Zimbabwe, approximately 35.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Namibia, about 53.0% do as of 2021.

be 18.9% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zimbabwe, approximately 77% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 67% 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 2.7 times more on education

Zimbabwe spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2018. Namibia spends 9.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 2.6 times more on healthcare

Zimbabwe spends 3.4% 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, Inland Revenue Department, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.

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 Zimbabwe? See an in-depth size comparison.

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