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

Health

live 6.6 years longer

In Benin, the average life expectancy is 61 years (60 years for men, 62 years for women) as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 68 years (63 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

see 7.8 times more spent on your healthcare

Benin spends $138 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Namibia spends $1,068 as of 2023.

View global rankings →

have 2.6 times more doctors per person

Benin has 2.2 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Namibia has 5.5 as of 2022.

View global rankings →

have 65.8% more access to essential health services

Benin scores 38 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Namibia scores 63 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

be 12.9 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Benin, 0.7% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 9.0% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 49.1% more likely to be obese

In Benin, 12.2% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 18.3% of people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 20.6% more likely to die by suicide

Benin has a suicide rate of 7.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Namibia, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Economy

make 2.9 times more money

Benin has a GDP per capita of $1,658 as of 2025, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $4,876 as of 2025.

View global rankings →

be 12.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Benin, 1.6% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Namibia, that number is 19.3% as of 2025.

View global rankings →

Life

be 73.2% less likely to die during childbirth

In Benin, approximately 518.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Namibia, 139.0 women do as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 70.6% more likely to be literate

In Benin, the literacy rate is 51.4% as of 2022. In Namibia, it is 87.6% as of 2023.

View global rankings →

be 19.5% less likely to die during infancy

In Benin, approximately 45.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Namibia, on the other hand, 36.4 children do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

have 22.5% fewer children

In Benin, there are approximately 33.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Basic Needs

be 90.9% more likely to have internet access

In Benin, approximately 34.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Namibia, about 64.9% do as of 2024.

View global rankings →

be 24.3% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Benin, approximately 70% of people have access to drinking water (76% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 87% of people on average (96% in urban areas, and 74% in rural areas) as of 2024.

View global rankings →

Expenditures

spend 2.8 times more on education

Benin spends 3.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Namibia spends 9.1% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

View global rankings →

spend 2.8 times more on healthcare

Benin spends 3.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 9.5% of GDP as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Geography

see 13.0 times more coastline

Benin has a total of 121 km of coastline. In Namibia, that number is 1,572 km.

View global rankings →

Safety

be 11.3% less likely to die in a road accident

In Benin, road accidents kill 24.8 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Namibia, they kill 22.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

View global rankings →

Infrastructure

find 10.1 times more home broadband

Benin has 0.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Namibia has 2.8 as of 2024.

View global rankings →

live with 68.4% less strain on fresh water

Benin withdraws 1% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Namibia withdraws 0% as of 2022.

View global rankings →

use 10.7 times more electricity

Benin uses 115 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Namibia uses 1,232 kWh as of 2023.

View global rankings →

Environment

be 44.2% less likely to die from air pollution

In Benin, air pollution causes 77.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Namibia, it causes 43.0 as of 2019.

View global rankings →

emit 2.4 times more CO2

Benin emits 0.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Namibia emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

View global rankings →


Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

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.
Read more

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

Share this

Ask the Elsewhere Community

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Namibia or Benin. It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.