Death rate in Namibia
Namibia: Death rate was 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.17 deaths per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 17.4%
World rank
172nd
of 236 countries
All-time high
22.06 deaths per 1,000 people
in 1950
All-time low
6.17 deaths per 1,000 people
in 2023
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Death rate in Namibia, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, death rate in Namibia stood at 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 17.4% on the previous year and down 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, death rate in Namibia peaked at 22.06 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950 and was at its lowest, 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places Namibia 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Death rate in Namibia, year by year
| Year | deaths per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 22.06 deaths per 1,000 people | — |
| 1951 | 21.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1952 | 21.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1953 | 20.94 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.7% |
| 1954 | 20.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1955 | 20.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 1956 | 19.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1957 | 19.29 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.2% |
| 1958 | 18.82 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.4% |
| 1959 | 18.38 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1960 | 17.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1961 | 17.44 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1962 | 16.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1963 | 16.55 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1964 | 16.09 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1965 | 15.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1966 | 15.42 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.6% |
| 1967 | 15 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 14.61 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1969 | 14.23 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1970 | 13.87 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1971 | 13.49 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.8% |
| 1972 | 13.14 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1973 | 12.78 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 1974 | 12.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 12.07 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1976 | 11.77 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1977 | 11.41 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 1978 | 11.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1979 | 10.8 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 1980 | 11.93 deaths per 1,000 people | +10.5% |
| 1981 | 11.67 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 1982 | 11.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.6% |
| 1983 | 11 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 10.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 10.45 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 1986 | 10.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 10.02 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.3% |
| 1988 | 9.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 8.97 deaths per 1,000 people | -10.1% |
| 1990 | 8.86 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1991 | 9.03 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 9.2 deaths per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1993 | 9.47 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 9.72 deaths per 1,000 people | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 10.04 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 10.36 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 10.72 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 11.26 deaths per 1,000 people | +5.1% |
| 1999 | 11.67 deaths per 1,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2000 | 12.21 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.7% |
| 2001 | 12.74 deaths per 1,000 people | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 12.73 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 12.8 deaths per 1,000 people | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 12.71 deaths per 1,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 12.58 deaths per 1,000 people | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 12.32 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 11.93 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 11.63 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 11.39 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 11.08 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 10.85 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 10.3 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 9.96 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 9.57 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 9.25 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 8.9 deaths per 1,000 people | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 8.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 8.13 deaths per 1,000 people | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 7.72 deaths per 1,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2020 | 7.52 deaths per 1,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 9.18 deaths per 1,000 people | +22.0% |
| 2022 | 7.47 deaths per 1,000 people | -18.6% |
| 2023 | 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people | -17.4% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.52 deaths per 1,000 people, 95% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.2 deaths per 1,000 people, 86% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 20.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 18.38 deaths per 1,000 people | 22.06 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 15.99 deaths per 1,000 people | 14.23 deaths per 1,000 people | 17.9 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 12.29 deaths per 1,000 people | 10.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 13.87 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 10.62 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.97 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.93 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.03 deaths per 1,000 people | 8.86 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.67 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.3 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.39 deaths per 1,000 people | 12.8 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.43 deaths per 1,000 people | 7.72 deaths per 1,000 people | 11.08 deaths per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.58 deaths per 1,000 people | 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people | 9.18 deaths per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More health data for Namibia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6445 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,046 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 561 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0644 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is death rate in Namibia?
- Death rate in Namibia was 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest death rate recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 22.06 deaths per 1,000 people in 1950.
- What is the lowest death rate recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.17 deaths per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does Namibia rank for death rate?
- Namibia ranks 172nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is death rate rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of deaths in a year per 1,000 people in the population.