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

Health

see 5.2 times more spent on your healthcare

Senegal spends $206 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Namibia spends $1,068 as of 2023.

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have 5.1 times more doctors per person

Senegal has 1.1 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2023. Namibia has 5.5 as of 2022.

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have 26.0% more access to essential health services

Senegal scores 50 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Namibia scores 63 as of 2021.

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be 30.0 times more likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Senegal, 0.3% 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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live 1.4 years less

In Senegal, the average life expectancy is 69 years (67 years for men, 71 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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be 57.5% more likely to be obese

In Senegal, 11.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Namibia, that number is 18.3% of people as of 2024.

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be 27.1% more likely to die by suicide

Senegal has a suicide rate of 6.8 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 2.5 times more money

Senegal has a GDP per capita of $1,955 as of 2025, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $4,876 as of 2025.

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be 7.1 times more likely to be unemployed

In Senegal, 2.7% 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 41.4% less likely to die during childbirth

In Senegal, approximately 237.0 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 74.0% more likely to be literate

In Senegal, the literacy rate is 50.4% as of 2023. In Namibia, it is 87.6% as of 2023.

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be 26.0% more likely to die during infancy

In Senegal, approximately 28.9 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 11.3% fewer children

In Senegal, there are approximately 29.2 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 23.6% less likely to have access to electricity

In Senegal, approximately 74% of people have electricity access (96% in urban areas, and 56% 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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Expenditures

spend 47.4% more on education

Senegal spends 6.2% 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 2.2 times more on healthcare

Senegal spends 4.3% 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 3.0 times more coastline

Senegal has a total of 531 km of coastline. In Namibia, that number is 1,572 km.

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Infrastructure

live with 98.1% less strain on fresh water

Senegal withdraws 16% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Namibia withdraws 0% as of 2022.

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use 3.0 times more electricity

Senegal uses 410 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Namibia uses 1,232 kWh as of 2023.

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find 30.0% less home broadband

Senegal has 4.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Namibia has 2.8 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 33.8% less likely to die from air pollution

In Senegal, 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 55.8% more CO2

Senegal emits 0.8 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), 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 Senegal? See an in-depth size comparison.

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