Plastic waste exports in Namibia
Namibia: Plastic waste exports was 3,283 tonnes in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Plastic waste exports in Namibia, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2024, plastic waste exports in Namibia stood at 3,283 tonnes. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 76.8% on the previous year and up 112.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, plastic waste exports in Namibia peaked at 3,283 tonnes in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 tonnes, in 2018.
That places Namibia 71st out of 167 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Plastic waste exports in Namibia, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 38.41 tonnes | — |
| 2001 | 21.03 tonnes | -45.2% |
| 2002 | 56.84 tonnes | +170.3% |
| 2003 | 88.41 tonnes | +55.5% |
| 2004 | 436.01 tonnes | +393.2% |
| 2005 | 909.63 tonnes | +108.6% |
| 2006 | 1,033 tonnes | +13.6% |
| 2007 | 960.69 tonnes | -7.0% |
| 2008 | 955.69 tonnes | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 1,416 tonnes | +48.1% |
| 2010 | 1,564 tonnes | +10.4% |
| 2011 | 1,869 tonnes | +19.5% |
| 2012 | 1,875 tonnes | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 1,856 tonnes | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 1,548 tonnes | -16.6% |
| 2015 | 2,178 tonnes | +40.7% |
| 2016 | 1,329 tonnes | -39.0% |
| 2017 | 1,524 tonnes | +14.6% |
| 2018 | 0 tonnes | -100.0% |
| 2019 | 0 tonnes | — |
| 2020 | 2,353 tonnes | — |
| 2021 | 2,974 tonnes | +26.4% |
| 2022 | 3,120 tonnes | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 1,857 tonnes | -40.5% |
| 2024 | 3,283 tonnes | +76.8% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 3,283 tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,451 tonnes, 2.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 3,283 tonnes is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,090 tonnes, 3.0× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Plastic waste exports in Namibia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +393.2% | 88.41 tonnes | 436.01 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 591.56 tonnes | 21.03 tonnes | 1,416 tonnes | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,374 tonnes | 0 tonnes | 2,178 tonnes | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,717 tonnes | 1,857 tonnes | 3,283 tonnes | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More environment data for Namibia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.99 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.14 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.319 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.979 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 4.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is plastic waste exports in Namibia?
- Plastic waste exports in Namibia was 3,283 tonnes in 2024, according to United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest plastic waste exports recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 3,283 tonnes in 2024.
- What is the lowest plastic waste exports recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 tonnes in 2018.
- How does Namibia rank for plastic waste exports?
- Namibia ranks 71st out of 167 countries with data for 2024.
- Is plastic waste exports rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 112.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Comtrade Database (2025); United Nations Comtrade Database (2023) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Plastic waste exports. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Amount of plastic waste a country exports to other countries, measured in tonnes per year.