Namibia one of the most unequal countries
Driven by land ownership
In Namibia, 70% of the 39.7 million hectares of commercial agricultural land "still belong to Namibians of European descent.
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU), comprising Namibia, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa, is the world’s most unequal region, a World Bank report said.
Namibia and South Africa distinctly have higher inequality than other SACU members and Lesotho the least.
The report further indicated that South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, with race playing a determining factor in a society where 10% of the population owns more than 80% of the wealth.
Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini are among the 15 most unequal countries, ranking among 164 countries in the World Bank’s global poverty database.
Unequal land ownership, particularly in Namibia and South Africa, perpetuate the historically high levels of income inequality. Land is a key asset, especially for poor people in rural areas.
The unequal distribution of agricultural land, which is deeply rooted in the history of the region, contributes significantly to inequality, the report reads.
The pay gap between men and women reaches 38 percent in Namibia and South Africa. The uneven distribution of agricultural land is also a factor driving inequality, especially in rural areas, the report added.
In Namibia, 70% of the 39.7 million hectares of commercial agricultural land "still belong to Namibians of European descent", the World Bank said.
Namibia has one of the fastest rates of migration in the world, the share of the urban population increased from one-quarter to half in the past three decades.
“High migration rates, however, have not reduced rural poverty: most of the population lives in rural areas, and natural population growth in these areas often exceeds the rate of out-migration.”
The legacy of a highly skewed distribution of land perpetuates inequality in Namibia and South Africa, which in turn undermines rural development and entrepreneurship. Weak property rights remain a key source of policy uncertainty in these two countries, the World Bank [email protected]
Namibia and South Africa distinctly have higher inequality than other SACU members and Lesotho the least.
The report further indicated that South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, with race playing a determining factor in a society where 10% of the population owns more than 80% of the wealth.
Namibia, Botswana and Eswatini are among the 15 most unequal countries, ranking among 164 countries in the World Bank’s global poverty database.
Unequal land ownership, particularly in Namibia and South Africa, perpetuate the historically high levels of income inequality. Land is a key asset, especially for poor people in rural areas.
The unequal distribution of agricultural land, which is deeply rooted in the history of the region, contributes significantly to inequality, the report reads.
The pay gap between men and women reaches 38 percent in Namibia and South Africa. The uneven distribution of agricultural land is also a factor driving inequality, especially in rural areas, the report added.
In Namibia, 70% of the 39.7 million hectares of commercial agricultural land "still belong to Namibians of European descent", the World Bank said.
Namibia has one of the fastest rates of migration in the world, the share of the urban population increased from one-quarter to half in the past three decades.
“High migration rates, however, have not reduced rural poverty: most of the population lives in rural areas, and natural population growth in these areas often exceeds the rate of out-migration.”
The legacy of a highly skewed distribution of land perpetuates inequality in Namibia and South Africa, which in turn undermines rural development and entrepreneurship. Weak property rights remain a key source of policy uncertainty in these two countries, the World Bank [email protected]
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