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

Health

live 6.8 years longer

In Mali, the average life expectancy is 61 years (59 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.

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see 10.3 times more spent on your healthcare

Mali spends $104 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Namibia spends $1,068 as of 2023.

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have 2.9 times more doctors per person

Mali has 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Namibia has 5.5 as of 2022.

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have 53.7% more access to essential health services

Mali scores 41 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Namibia scores 63 as of 2021.

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be 11.2 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Mali, 0.8% 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 37.4% more likely to be obese

In Mali, 13.3% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 18.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 2.1 times more likely to die by suicide

Mali has a suicide rate of 4.2 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Namibia, it is 8.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

make 4.1 times more money

Mali has a GDP per capita of $1,193 as of 2025, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $4,876 as of 2025.

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be 6.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Mali, 2.8% 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 62.1% less likely to die during childbirth

In Mali, approximately 367.0 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 2.5 times more likely to be literate

In Mali, the literacy rate is 35.6% as of 2024. In Namibia, it is 87.6% as of 2023.

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be 23.4% less likely to die during infancy

In Mali, approximately 47.5 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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have 34.5% fewer children

In Mali, there are approximately 39.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 25.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 76.3% more likely to have internet access

In Mali, approximately 36.8% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In Namibia, about 64.9% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 2.2 times more on education

Mali spends 4.2% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Namibia spends 9.1% of total GDP on education as of 2024.

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spend 2.5 times more on healthcare

Mali spends 3.8% 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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Infrastructure

find 3.7 times more home broadband

Mali has 0.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Namibia has 2.8 as of 2024.

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live with 96.1% less strain on fresh water

Mali withdraws 8% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Namibia withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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Environment

be 33.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Mali, air pollution causes 65.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Namibia, it causes 43.0 as of 2019.

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emit 4.0 times more CO2

Mali emits 0.3 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 (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). 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 Mali? See an in-depth size comparison.

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