Quality of life comparison

compared to

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

Health

be 41.7% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Botswana, 19.9% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Namibia, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2020.

live 0.8 years longer

In Botswana, the average life expectancy is 66 years (64 years for men, 68 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

be 15.4% less likely to be unemployed

In Botswana, 23.6% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 20.0% as of 2022.

make 36.8% less money

Botswana has a GDP per capita of $15,500 as of 2022, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $9,800 as of 2022.

pay a 48.0% higher top tax rate

Botswana has a top tax rate of 25.0% as of 2016. In Namibia, the top tax rate is 37.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 24.0% more children

In Botswana, there are approximately 19.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 24.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 15.6% more likely to die during childbirth

In Botswana, approximately 186.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Namibia, 215.0 women do as of 2020.

be 16.8% more likely to die during infancy

In Botswana, approximately 25.2 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 25.1% less likely to have access to electricity

In Botswana, approximately 74% of people have electricity access (93% in urban areas, and 25% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Namibia, that number is 55% of people on average (75% in urban areas, and 33% in rural areas) as of 2021.

be 28.4% less likely to have internet access

In Botswana, approximately 74.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Namibia, about 53.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 10.3% more on education

Botswana spends 8.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Namibia spends 9.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

spend 43.5% more on healthcare

Botswana spends 6.2% 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, Botswana Unified Revenue Service, Inland Revenue Department.

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 Botswana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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