Namibia: environment

How much of Namibia's electricity is renewable?

Renewable sources produced 93.4% of the electricity generated in Namibia in 2021, according to World Bank Open Data. 59.3% of the population had access to electricity in 2024, according to the World Bank access series.

The renewable share is of electricity generated in the country; it does not include electricity imported from neighbouring countries. The access series gives the share of the population with access to electricity, drawn from household surveys and national sources.

Official sources: World Bank API: Renewable electricity output, Namibia · World Bank API: Access to electricity, Namibia

What are Namibia's greenhouse gas emissions?

Namibia emitted 14.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2024, excluding land use and forestry, according to World Bank Open Data.

The total covers the six Kyoto Protocol gases from the energy, industry, waste and agriculture sectors, converted to CO2 equivalents. Land use and forestry are excluded because those fluxes have larger uncertainties. The World Bank takes the figures from the EDGAR database of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre.

Official sources: World Bank API: Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF, Namibia

How much of Namibia's electricity is imported?

56.5% of the electricity supplied in Namibia in July 2026 was imported, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's electricity report for July 2026. Total supply was 435,543 megawatt hours, of which 246,182 MWh were imported and 189,360 MWh generated in Namibia.

The Ruacana hydropower station on the Kunene River produced 82.1% of domestic generation, independent power producers 15.3%, and the Omburu solar plant 2.3%. Diesel stations produced very little. Ruacana's output depends on the flow of the Kunene River, so the import share changes from month to month. In July 2025, total supply was 402,682 MWh.

Official sources: electricity report for July 2026

How many Namibians have safe drinking water?

91.4% of Namibian households had safe drinking water in 2023, up from 80.0% in 2011, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's 2023 Population and Housing Census main report.

Safe water in the census means water from sources such as piped water, protected wells and boreholes, so it measures the type of source rather than testing water quality. Freshwater withdrawals were 0.31% of renewable resources in 2022, on World Bank Open Data. Namibia's only perennial rivers are on its borders.

Official sources: 2023 Population and Housing Census main report · on World Bank Open Data (API)

How many Namibian households have no toilet?

40.0% of Namibian households had no toilet facility in 2023, down from 48.6% in 2011, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's 2023 Population and Housing Census main report. In urban areas the share was 20.3%.

Households without a toilet use the bush or other open areas. 69.9% of urban households and 18.5% of rural households had a flush toilet. 69.9% of urban households had their rubbish collected, against 5.9% of rural households. The census asks about the main toilet facility each household uses.

Official sources: 2023 Population and Housing Census main report

What do Namibian households use for cooking and lighting?

50.4% of Namibian households cooked mainly with wood or charcoal in 2023, down from 53.7% in 2011, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency's 2023 Population and Housing Census main report. 47.1% used electricity for lighting, up from 43.3%.

The census asks about each household's main source, so households that use several fuels are counted once. 59.3% of the population had access to electricity in 2024, according to World Bank Open Data, which counts people rather than households.

Official sources: 2023 Population and Housing Census main report · according to World Bank Open Data (API)

How much of Namibia is forest?

Forest covered 9.77% of Namibia's land area in 2024, according to FAO estimates on World Bank Open Data. The figure has been unchanged since 2022.

The FAO counts land of more than half a hectare with trees over 5 metres tall and canopy cover above 10%. Namibia's forests are mainly dry woodlands in the north-east, in the Kavango and Zambezi regions. Large parts of the country are desert or savannah.

Official sources: World Bank Open Data (API)

What is air quality like in Namibia?

People in Namibia were exposed to an average of 14.23 micrograms of fine particles (PM2.5) per cubic metre in 2023, down from 16.7 in 2022, according to World Bank Open Data. The World Health Organization guideline for annual exposure is 5 micrograms.

The figure is a modelled estimate from satellite and ground data, weighted by population, so it is an average for where people live. The value was 14.45 in 2021, so exposure has changed little over three years. Because it is a national average, it does not show differences between towns, mining areas and the countryside.

Official sources: World Bank Open Data (API)

What is Namibia's carbon footprint per person?

In 2024, carbon dioxide emissions per person in Namibia was 1.2 tonnes, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. That is the lowest since at least 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 0.4 tonnes; Namibia is 9th highest of 47. Of 186 countries with 2024 data, 123rd highest.

How much greenhouse gas does Namibia emit?

14.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent: that is total greenhouse gas emissions in Namibia for 2024, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. No year since 2005 has been higher. It is 29th highest of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 24.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Worldwide: 128th of 186.

How much renewable energy does Namibia use?

In 2021, the renewable share of final energy use in Namibia was 30.0%, according to the IEA, IRENA, the UN Statistics Division, the World Bank and the WHO. Its high point since 2005 was 2007, at 36.5%; its low point was 2016, at 29.2%. It is 41st highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 71.1%. Worldwide: 79th of 191.

How much of Namibia is forest?

The latest figure from the FAO, for 2024, is 9.8%. No year since 2005 has been lower. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 22.2%; Namibia is 41st highest of 48. World rank, highest first: 155th of 190.

What is PM2.5 air pollution in Namibia?

The latest figure from the Global Burden of Disease study, for 2023, is 14.2 micrograms per cubic metre. It is the bottom of the series, which starts in 2005. It is 42nd highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 27.5 micrograms per cubic metre. World rank, highest first: 123rd of 192.

How much of Namibia's land is protected?

According to the UN Environment Programme, the share of land in protected areas in Namibia was 39.9% in 2025. Its high point since 2013 was 2013, at 44.0%; its low point was 2014, at 37.9%. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 16.9%, and Namibia placed 4th highest of 48. World rank, highest first: 9th of 192.

How much of Namibia's fresh water is used?

According to the FAO, water stress in Namibia was 0.3% in 2022. No year since 2005 has been lower. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 5.1%, and Namibia placed 43rd highest of 47. Of 175 countries with 2022 data, 168th highest.