Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Namibia
Namibia: Labor force, female (% of total labor force) was 48.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force, female in Namibia, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database. Measured in % of total labor force.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force, female in Namibia is 48.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force, female in Namibia peaked at 49.7% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 45.9%, in 2000.
That places Namibia 36th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force, female (% of total labor force) in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 46.1% | — |
| 1991 | 46.1% | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 46.1% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 46.1% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 46.1% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 46.1% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 46.1% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 46.1% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 46.0% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 45.9% | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 46.1% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 46.3% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 46.5% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 46.7% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 46.9% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 47.1% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 47.3% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 47.5% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 47.8% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 48.0% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 48.2% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 48.4% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 49.7% | +2.7% |
| 2014 | 49.2% | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 48.5% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 47.9% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 48.4% | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 48.9% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 48.8% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 48.6% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 48.7% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 48.1% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 48.1% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 48.2% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 48.3% | +0.1% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 48.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 43.6%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 48.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 47.5%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 46.1% | 46.0% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.8% | 45.9% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.6% | 47.9% | 49.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.3% | 48.1% | 48.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More education data for Namibia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 10,653 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 90,003 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 26,964 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 27,746 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 236,050 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 590,029 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 4.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.1947 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force, female in Namibia?
- Labor force, female in Namibia was 48.3% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database.
- What is the highest labor force, female recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2013.
- What is the lowest labor force, female recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.9% in 2000.
- How does Namibia rank for labor force, female?
- Namibia ranks 36th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force, female rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILO), type: estimates based on external database, published as part of Labor force, female (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.