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

Health

live 1.8 years longer

In Ghana, the average life expectancy is 66 years (63 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 68 years (63 years for men, 71 years for women) as of 2024.

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see 4.6 times more spent on your healthcare

Ghana spends $234 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Namibia spends $1,068 as of 2023.

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have 2.1 times more doctors per person

Ghana has 2.7 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Namibia has 5.5 as of 2022.

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have 31.2% more access to essential health services

Ghana scores 48 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Namibia scores 63 as of 2021.

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be 6.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Ghana, 1.5% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 9.0% of people as of 2024.

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be 25.5% more likely to be obese

In Ghana, 14.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 18.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 61.5% more likely to die by suicide

Ghana has a suicide rate of 5.3 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Namibia, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 25.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Ghana, 23.4% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Namibia, however, that number is 17.4% as of 2015.

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make 49.7% more money

Ghana has a GDP per capita of $3,257 as of 2025, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $4,876 as of 2025.

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be 6.5 times more likely to be unemployed

In Ghana, 3.0% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Namibia, that number is 19.3% as of 2025.

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Life

be 40.6% less likely to die during childbirth

In Ghana, approximately 234.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Namibia, 139.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 14.6% more likely to be literate

In Ghana, the literacy rate is 76.5% as of 2021. In Namibia, it is 87.6% as of 2023.

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be 32.4% more likely to die during infancy

In Ghana, approximately 27.5 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.

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Basic Needs

be 36.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In Ghana, approximately 90% of people have electricity access (98% in urban areas, and 78% in rural areas) as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 57% of people on average (75% in urban areas, and 34% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 10.1% less likely to have internet access

In Ghana, approximately 72.2% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Namibia, about 64.9% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 3.1 times more on education

Ghana spends 2.9% of its total GDP on education as of 2022. Namibia spends 9.1% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 3.2 times more on healthcare

Ghana spends 3.0% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Namibia, that number is 9.5% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 2.9 times more coastline

Ghana has a total of 539 km of coastline. In Namibia, that number is 1,572 km.

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Safety

be 15.1% less likely to die in a road accident

In Ghana, road accidents kill 25.9 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Namibia, they kill 22.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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be 6.1 times more likely to be murdered

Ghana has a homicide rate of 1.8 per 100,000 people as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 11.2 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

find 4.3 times more home broadband

Ghana has 0.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Namibia has 2.8 as of 2024.

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live with 95.1% less strain on fresh water

Ghana withdraws 6% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Namibia withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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use 2.2 times more electricity

Ghana uses 565 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Namibia uses 1,232 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 51.7% less likely to die from air pollution

In Ghana, air pollution causes 89.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Namibia, it causes 43.0 as of 2019.

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emit 71.4% more CO2

Ghana emits 0.7 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Namibia emits 1.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), 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.
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How big is Namibia compared to Ghana? See an in-depth size comparison.

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