Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Namibia instead of South Africa, you would:

Health

be 39.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In South Africa, 19.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Namibia, that number is 11.6% of people as of 2020.

live 1.2 years longer

In South Africa, the average life expectancy is 65 years (64 years for men, 67 years for women) as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 66 years (64 years for men, 69 years for women) as of 2022.

be 39.2% less likely to be obese

In South Africa, 28.3% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Namibia, that number is 17.2% of people as of 2016.

Economy

be 30.7% less likely to be unemployed

In South Africa, 28.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Namibia, that number is 20.0% as of 2022.

pay a 17.8% lower top tax rate

South Africa has a top tax rate of 45.0% as of 2017. In Namibia, the top tax rate is 37.0% as of 2016.

make 27.4% less money

South Africa has a GDP per capita of $13,500 as of 2022, while in Namibia, the GDP per capita is $9,800 as of 2022.

Life

have 37.3% more children

In South Africa, there are approximately 17.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Namibia, there are 24.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 69.3% more likely to die during childbirth

In South Africa, approximately 127.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Namibia, 215.0 women do as of 2020.

be 13.7% more likely to die during infancy

In South Africa, approximately 25.9 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 38.2% less likely to have access to electricity

In South Africa, approximately 89% of people have electricity access (87% in urban areas, and 92% 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 26.4% less likely to have internet access

In South Africa, approximately 72.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Namibia, about 53.0% do as of 2021.

Expenditures

spend 45.5% more on education

South Africa spends 6.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Namibia spends 9.6% of total GDP on education as of 2021.

Geography

see 43.8% less coastline

South Africa has a total of 2,798 km of coastline. In Namibia, that number is 1,572 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, South African 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.
Read more

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

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

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