arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pasture: 46.2%

Planning officials view Namibia’s reduced population growth rate as sustainable based on the country’s economic growth over the past decade. Prior to independence in 1990 Namibia’s relatively small population grew at about 3% annually but declining fertility and the impact of HIV/AIDS slowed this growth to 1.4% by 2011 rebounding to close to 2% by 2016. Namibia’s fertility rate has fallen over the last two decades – from about 4.5 children per woman in 1996 to 3.4 in 2016 – due to increased contraceptive use higher educational attainment among women and greater female participation in the labor force. The average age at first birth has stayed fairly constant but the age at first marriage continues to increase indicating a rising incidence of premarital childbearing.
The majority of Namibians are rural dwellers (about 55%) and live in the better-watered north and northeast parts of the country. Migration historically male-dominated generally flows from northern communal areas – non-agricultural lands where blacks were sequestered under the apartheid system – to agricultural mining and manufacturing centers in the center and south. After independence from South Africa restrictions on internal movement eased and rural-urban migration increased bolstering urban growth.
Some Namibians – usually persons who are better-educated more affluent and from urban areas – continue to legally migrate to South Africa temporarily to visit family and friends and much less frequently to pursue tertiary education or better economic opportunities. Namibians concentrated along the country’s other borders make unauthorized visits to Angola Zambia Zimbabwe or Botswana to visit family and to trade agricultural goods. Few Namibians express interest in permanently settling in other countries; they prefer the safety of their homeland have a strong national identity and enjoy a well-supplied retail sector. Although Namibia is receptive to foreign investment and cross-border trade intolerance toward non-citizens is widespread.

urban: 98.2% of population
rural: 84.6% of population
total: 91% of population
urban: 1.8% of population
rural: 15.4% of population
total: 9% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 54.5% of population
rural: 16.8% of population
total: 34.4% of population
urban: 45.5% of population
rural: 83.2% of population
total: 65.6% of population (2015 est.)

United Democratic Front or UDF [Justus
GAROEB]
United People's Movement or UPM [Jan J. VAN WYK]

The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 11.5% of GDP but provides more than 50% of foreign exchange earnings. Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for gem-quality diamonds. Marine diamond mining is increasingly important as the terrestrial diamond supply has dwindled. The rising cost of mining diamonds increasingly from the sea combined with increased diamond production in Russia and China has reduced profit margins. Namibian authorities have emphasized the need to add value to raw materials do more in-country manufacturing and exploit the services market especially in the logistics and transportation sectors.
Namibia is the world's fifth-largest producer of uranium. The Chinese owned Husab uranium mine in expected to start producing uranium ore in 2017. Once the Husab mine reaches full production Namibia is expected to become the world’s second-largest producer of uranium. Namibia also produces large quantities of zinc and is a smaller producer of gold and copper. The mining and quarrying sectors employ 2% of the population. Namibia's economy remains vulnerable to world commodity price fluctuations and drought.
Namibia normally imports about 50% of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages can be a problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP relative to the region hides one of the world's most unequal income distributions. A priority of the current government is poverty eradication.
A five-year Millennium Challenge Corporation compact ended in September 2014. As an upper middle income country Namibia is ineligible for a second compact. The Namibian economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar pegged one-to-one to the South African rand. Namibia receives 30%-40% of its revenues from the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). Volatility in the size of Namibia's annual SACU allotment complicates budget planning.

$25.34 billion (2015 est.)
$24.25 billion (2014 est.)
$22.8 billion (2013 est.)

4.5% (2015 est.)
6.4% (2014 est.)
5.7% (2013 est.)

$11,400 (2015 est.)
$11,000 (2014 est.)
$10,500 (2013 est.)

19.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
24.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
20% of GDP (2013 est.)

28.1% (2014 est.)
29.6% (2013 est.)

59.7 (2010)
70.7 (2003)

34.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
24% of GDP (2014 est.)

3.4% (2015 est.)
5.3% (2014 est.)

6.75% (17 February 2016)
6.5% (31 December 2015)

7.41% (17 February 2016 est.)
8.7% (31 December 2015 est.)

$2.583 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$3.17 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$7.496 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$6.574 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

$4.904 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$6.655 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.305 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
$1.152 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
$1.176 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

-$1.253 billion (2015 est.)
-$1.12 billion (2014 est.)

$4.015 billion (2015 est.)
$4.612 billion (2014 est.)

$6.914 billion (2015 est.)
$7.191 billion (2014 est.)

$1.69 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.177 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$6.124 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$5.829 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Namibian dollars (NAD) per US dollar -
12.7589 (2015 est.)
10.8526 (2014 est.)
10.8526 (2013 est.)
8.2 (2012 est.)
7.2597 (2011 est.)

4.2% of GDP (2015)
3.11% of GDP (2012)
3.38% of GDP (2011)
3.11% of GDP (2010)