Namibia
Armed forces, share of workers in Namibia
Armed forces, share of workers in Namibia: 1.78% of the labour force in 1991 and 1.67% of the labour force in 2020, by IISS estimates.
- Latest, 2020
- 1.67% of the labour force
- Since 1991
- −0.11 percentage points
- Rank, 2020
- 36 of 168
- counting from the highest
- World, 2020
- 0.79% of the labour force
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- The highest was 2.53% of the labour force in 2001, the lowest 1.12% of the labour force in 1997.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Namibia | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1.67 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 1.63 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 1.66 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 1.69 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 1.7 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 1.66 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 1.7 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 1.73 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 1.9 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 1.95 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 2 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 2.05 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 2.08 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 2.14 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 2.2 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 2.27 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 2.33 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 2.39 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 2.46 | 1 |
| 2001 | 2.53 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 1.58 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 1.63 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 1.68 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 1.12 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 1.59 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 1.6 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 1.61 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 1.67 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 1.72 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 1.78 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | – | 1.11 |
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 countries with a value in 2020, 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 in numbers
Every measure for Namibia on one page
Health
People
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spending2.77% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollars$386M in 2025
- Military spending per person$134 in 2025
- Military share of state spending7% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnel16,000 people in 2020
- National power0.02% of world capability in 2022
- Arms imports0 TIV in 2025