Namibia vs Zambia
Namibia vs Zambia: Median age
Median age in 2023: 21 years in Namibia and 17.5 years in Zambia, by UN estimates. In 2023 the value was higher in Namibia, by 3.5 years, or 1.2 times that in Zambia.
years · UN
What the numbers say
- Namibia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1950.
- In 2023, Namibia ranked 180 and Zambia ranked 215 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (medium variant) puts Namibia at 38.8 years and Zambia at 34.4 years in 2100.
- The world as a whole: 30.4 years in 2023.
Every year
years · UN
| Year | Namibia | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 21 | 17.5 | 30.4 |
| 2022 | 20.8 | 17.3 | 30.1 |
| 2021 | 20.8 | 17.1 | 29.8 |
| 2020 | 20.8 | 16.9 | 29.6 |
| 2019 | 20.7 | 16.8 | 29.3 |
| 2018 | 20.7 | 16.6 | 29 |
| 2017 | 20.6 | 16.4 | 28.8 |
| 2016 | 20.5 | 16.3 | 28.5 |
| 2015 | 20.4 | 16.1 | 28.3 |
| 2014 | 20.3 | 16 | 28.1 |
| 2013 | 20.1 | 15.9 | 27.8 |
| 2012 | 19.9 | 15.8 | 27.6 |
| 2011 | 19.7 | 15.7 | 27.4 |
| 2010 | 19.4 | 15.6 | 27.2 |
| 2009 | 19.2 | 15.5 | 27 |
| 2008 | 19 | 15.5 | 26.7 |
| 2007 | 18.9 | 15.4 | 26.5 |
| 2006 | 18.7 | 15.3 | 26.3 |
| 2005 | 18.5 | 15.2 | 26.1 |
| 2004 | 18.4 | 15.1 | 25.9 |
| 2003 | 18.2 | 15.1 | 25.7 |
| 2002 | 18.1 | 15 | 25.5 |
| 2001 | 18 | 14.9 | 25.3 |
| 2000 | 18 | 14.8 | 25.1 |
| 1999 | 17.9 | 14.8 | 24.9 |
| 1998 | 17.8 | 14.7 | 24.7 |
| 1997 | 17.8 | 14.7 | 24.4 |
| 1996 | 17.7 | 14.7 | 24.2 |
| 1995 | 17.6 | 14.7 | 24 |
| 1994 | 17.5 | 14.7 | 23.8 |
| 1993 | 17.4 | 14.7 | 23.5 |
| 1992 | 17.4 | 14.7 | 23.3 |
| 1991 | 17.3 | 14.7 | 23.1 |
| 1990 | 17.3 | 14.6 | 22.9 |
| 1989 | 16.8 | 14.6 | 22.8 |
| 1988 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 22.6 |
| 1987 | 15.9 | 14.5 | 22.4 |
| 1986 | 15.7 | 14.5 | 22.2 |
| 1985 | 15.6 | 14.4 | 22 |
| 1984 | 15.4 | 14.4 | 21.9 |
| 1983 | 15.3 | 14.4 | 21.8 |
| 1982 | 15.2 | 14.3 | 21.7 |
| 1981 | 15.3 | 14.2 | 21.6 |
| 1980 | 15.5 | 14.2 | 21.5 |
| 1979 | 15.7 | 14.2 | 21.3 |
| 1978 | 15.9 | 14.3 | 21.1 |
| 1977 | 16.2 | 14.3 | 21 |
| 1976 | 16.4 | 14.4 | 20.8 |
| 1975 | 16.5 | 14.5 | 20.7 |
| 1974 | 16.6 | 14.6 | 20.5 |
| 1973 | 16.7 | 14.7 | 20.4 |
| 1972 | 16.8 | 14.9 | 20.4 |
| 1971 | 16.9 | 15 | 20.3 |
| 1970 | 17 | 15.2 | 20.3 |
| 1969 | 17 | 15.3 | 20.3 |
| 1968 | 17.1 | 15.3 | 20.4 |
| 1967 | 17.2 | 15.3 | 20.5 |
| 1966 | 17.2 | 15.4 | 20.6 |
| 1965 | 17.3 | 15.5 | 20.8 |
| 1964 | 17.4 | 15.6 | 21 |
| 1963 | 17.4 | 15.7 | 21.2 |
| 1962 | 17.5 | 15.7 | 21.4 |
| 1961 | 17.6 | 15.8 | 21.4 |
| 1960 | 17.8 | 15.9 | 21.5 |
| 1959 | 17.9 | 16 | 21.5 |
| 1958 | 18.1 | 16 | 21.5 |
| 1957 | 18.4 | 16.1 | 21.6 |
| 1956 | 18.6 | 16.2 | 21.7 |
| 1955 | 18.9 | 16.2 | 21.8 |
| 1954 | 19.1 | 16.3 | 21.9 |
| 1953 | 19.3 | 16.3 | 22 |
| 1952 | 19.5 | 16.4 | 22.1 |
| 1951 | 19.7 | 16.4 | 22.1 |
| 1950 | 19.8 | 16.4 | 22.2 |
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
| Year | Namibia | Zambia | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 21.221.1–21.1 | 17.717.6–17.8 | 30.6 |
| 2025 | 21.321.3–21.3 | 17.917.7–18.2 | 30.9 |
| 2026 | 21.521.4–21.4 | 18.217.8–18.6 | 31.1 |
| 2027 | 21.721.5–21.6 | 18.418–19 | 31.3 |
| 2028 | 21.921.7–21.8 | 18.618.1–19.4 | 31.6 |
| 2029 | 22.121.8–22.1 | 18.918.2–19.8 | 31.8 |
| 2030 | 22.221.9–22.3 | 19.118.3–20.2 | 32 |
| 2031 | 22.422.1–22.6 | 19.318.4–20.6 | 32.2 |
| 2032 | 22.622.2–22.9 | 19.618.5–21.1 | 32.4 |
| 2033 | 22.922.2–23.2 | 19.818.6–21.5 | 32.6 |
| 2034 | 23.122.4–23.5 | 2018.7–21.9 | 32.8 |
| 2035 | 23.422.5–23.8 | 20.318.7–22.3 | 33 |
| 2036 | 23.622.6–24.2 | 20.518.8–22.8 | 33.2 |
| 2037 | 23.922.8–24.7 | 20.718.8–23.2 | 33.4 |
| 2038 | 24.122.9–25.1 | 20.918.9–23.7 | 33.6 |
| 2039 | 24.423.1–25.5 | 21.118.9–24.1 | 33.8 |
| 2040 | 24.723.2–25.9 | 21.419–24.5 | 34 |
| 2041 | 2523.4–26.4 | 21.619–25 | 34.2 |
| 2042 | 25.323.6–26.9 | 21.819–25.4 | 34.4 |
| 2043 | 25.623.7–27.3 | 2219–25.9 | 34.6 |
| 2044 | 25.923.9–27.7 | 22.219.1–26.3 | 34.8 |
| 2045 | 26.224.1–28.1 | 22.519.3–26.7 | 35 |
| 2046 | 26.524.3–28.6 | 22.719.4–27.2 | 35.2 |
| 2047 | 26.824.5–29 | 22.919.6–27.6 | 35.4 |
| 2048 | 27.224.6–29.5 | 23.119.7–28 | 35.6 |
| 2049 | 27.524.7–30 | 23.419.9–28.4 | 35.9 |
| 2050 | 27.924.9–30.5 | 23.620–28.8 | 36.1 |
| 2051 | 28.225–30.9 | 23.820.1–29.3 | 36.3 |
| 2052 | 28.525.2–31.4 | 24.120.3–29.7 | 36.5 |
| 2053 | 28.725.3–31.9 | 24.320.4–30.1 | 36.7 |
| 2054 | 2925.4–32.4 | 24.520.5–30.5 | 36.9 |
| 2055 | 29.225.5–32.9 | 24.720.6–30.9 | 37.1 |
| 2056 | 29.425.7–33.4 | 2520.8–31.2 | 37.3 |
| 2057 | 29.725.8–33.9 | 25.220.9–31.6 | 37.5 |
| 2058 | 29.925.9–34.3 | 25.421–31.9 | 37.6 |
| 2059 | 30.126.1–34.7 | 25.721.1–32.2 | 37.8 |
| 2060 | 30.326.2–35.1 | 25.921.1–32.5 | 37.9 |
| 2061 | 30.626.4–35.4 | 26.121.2–32.7 | 38 |
| 2062 | 30.826.5–35.7 | 26.421.3–33 | 38.1 |
| 2063 | 3126.6–36 | 26.621.4–33.3 | 38.3 |
| 2064 | 31.226.8–36.3 | 26.821.5–33.5 | 38.4 |
| 2065 | 31.526.9–36.6 | 27.121.6–33.8 | 38.5 |
| 2066 | 31.727–36.9 | 27.321.6–34.1 | 38.6 |
| 2067 | 31.927.2–37.1 | 27.521.7–34.3 | 38.7 |
| 2068 | 32.127.3–37.3 | 27.721.8–34.6 | 38.8 |
| 2069 | 32.327.5–37.6 | 27.921.9–34.9 | 38.9 |
| 2070 | 32.627.6–37.8 | 28.222–35.1 | 39 |
| 2071 | 32.827.7–38.1 | 28.422.1–35.3 | 39.1 |
| 2072 | 3327.8–38.3 | 28.622.3–35.6 | 39.2 |
| 2073 | 33.227.9–38.6 | 28.822.3–35.8 | 39.3 |
| 2074 | 33.427.9–38.8 | 2922.4–36.1 | 39.4 |
| 2075 | 33.728–39 | 29.222.5–36.3 | 39.5 |
| 2076 | 33.928.1–39.2 | 29.522.6–36.5 | 39.6 |
| 2077 | 34.128.3–39.5 | 29.722.8–36.7 | 39.7 |
| 2078 | 34.328.4–39.8 | 29.922.9–37 | 39.8 |
| 2079 | 34.528.6–40.1 | 30.123–37.2 | 40 |
| 2080 | 34.728.7–40.3 | 30.323.1–37.4 | 40.1 |
| 2081 | 34.928.7–40.6 | 30.523.2–37.6 | 40.2 |
| 2082 | 35.228.8–40.9 | 30.723.3–37.7 | 40.3 |
| 2083 | 35.428.9–41.2 | 30.923.3–37.9 | 40.4 |
| 2084 | 35.629–41.5 | 31.123.4–38 | 40.5 |
| 2085 | 35.829.2–41.8 | 31.323.5–38.2 | 40.6 |
| 2086 | 3629.3–42.1 | 31.523.6–38.3 | 40.7 |
| 2087 | 36.229.4–42.4 | 31.723.7–38.4 | 40.9 |
| 2088 | 36.429.5–42.7 | 3223.8–38.5 | 41 |
| 2089 | 36.729.7–43 | 32.223.9–38.7 | 41.1 |
| 2090 | 36.929.8–43.3 | 32.424–38.8 | 41.2 |
| 2091 | 37.129.8–43.6 | 32.624.2–39 | 41.3 |
| 2092 | 37.329.9–43.8 | 32.824.3–39.1 | 41.4 |
| 2093 | 37.530–44 | 3324.4–39.3 | 41.5 |
| 2094 | 37.730.2–44.2 | 33.224.5–39.4 | 41.6 |
| 2095 | 37.930.3–44.4 | 33.424.6–39.5 | 41.7 |
| 2096 | 38.130.5–44.6 | 33.624.7–39.6 | 41.8 |
| 2097 | 38.330.6–44.9 | 33.824.8–39.7 | 41.9 |
| 2098 | 38.530.8–45 | 3424.9–39.8 | 42 |
| 2099 | 38.630.9–45.1 | 34.225–39.9 | 42 |
| 2100 | 38.831.1–45.4 | 34.425.1–40 | 42.1 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Half the people are older than this age and half are younger.
- Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Namibia vs Zambia
Health
- Life expectancyNamibia: 67.4 years in 2023Zambia: 66.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNamibia: 4 per 100 live births in 2024Zambia: 4.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNamibia: 27.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023Zambia: 38.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNamibia: 3.46% in 2017Zambia: 3.64% in 2017
- Suicide rateNamibia: 11.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Zambia: 13.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNamibia: 2.96 million people in 2023Zambia: 20.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthNamibia: 2.37% a year in 2023Zambia: 2.83% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNamibia: 3.21 births per woman in 2023Zambia: 4.1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNamibia: 50.9% in 2025Zambia: 45.9% in 2025
- People aged 65 and overNamibia: 3.6% in 2023Zambia: 1.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateNamibia: 3.9 per 1,000 people in 2023Zambia: 0.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNamibia: 2.77% of GDP in 2025Zambia: 1.26% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsNamibia: $386M in 2025Zambia: $343M in 2025
- Military spending per personNamibia: $134 in 2025Zambia: $19 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNamibia: 7% of government spending in 2025Zambia: 4.5% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelNamibia: 16,000 people in 2020Zambia: 16,000 people in 2020
- National powerNamibia: 0.02% of world capability in 2022Zambia: 0.1% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNamibia: 1.67% of the labour force in 2020Zambia: 0.24% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNamibia: 0 TIV in 2025Zambia: 1 million TIV in 2024