MigrantoNamibian Diaspora
40.4K Namibians live abroad — the #169 largest diaspora in the world
Where emigrants go
The top 3 countries receive 92% of all emigrants
↑↓ — change vs 2020
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 34273 |
| Australia | 1890 |
| Botswana | 1043 |
| Zambia | 1026 |
| Angola | 917 |
| Tanzania | 622 |
| Finland | 179 |
| Denmark | 114 |
| Norway | 110 |
| Iceland | 65 |
| Kenya | 55 |
| Hungary | 29 |
| Luxembourg | 16 |
| Bulgaria | 11 |
| Lesotho | 7 |
| Greece | 5 |
| Estonia | 4 |
| Slovenia | 2 |
| Guinea | 1 |
| Cyprus | 1 |
| Lithuania | 1 |
| Slovakia | 0 |
| Latvia | 0 |
By destination region
Africa is the leading destination region at 94%
37.9K
1.9K
536
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about emigration from Namibia.
South Africa is the primary destination for emigrants
South Africa attracts 85% of all emigrants from Namibia, while the second-largest destination receives just 5%.
How emigration changed over time
Total emigrant population by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 45857 |
| 1995 | 36999 |
| 2000 | 44921 |
| 2005 | 47680 |
| 2010 | 45530 |
| 2015 | 43728 |
| 2020 | 42223 |
| 2024 | 40371 |
Top destinations over time
Emigration to the 5 largest destination countries
| Year | South Africa | Australia | Botswana | Zambia | Angola |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 42066 | 207 | 286 | 2360 | 345 |
| 1995 | 34641 | 308 | 462 | 473 | 401 |
| 2000 | 42502 | 447 | 687 | 101 | 457 |
| 2005 | 44041 | 737 | 1208 | 251 | 601 |
| 2010 | 41269 | 1097 | 853 | 630 | 732 |
| 2015 | 38929 | 1436 | 926 | 554 | 839 |
| 2020 | 36795 | 1687 | 988 | 774 | 890 |
| 2024 | 34273 | 1890 | 1043 | 1026 | 917 |
Fastest-changing destinations
How emigration to each country has changed since the selected year
Namibia as an emigration source
Share of immigrants in each country who originate from Namibia
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
Where do Namibians move to?
Most Namibians have moved to South Africa, Australia and Botswana — these three countries account for about 92% of all Namibians living abroad.
How many Namibians live abroad?
Around 40.4K Namibians live abroad, making it the #169-largest emigrant population in the world.
What share of the population of Namibia lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Namibia lives abroad — that's 40.4K out of a total population of 3M.
How has emigration from Namibia changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the emigrant population from Namibia has fallen from 43.7K to 40.4K people, a decline of about 8%.
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