> Namibia had 1.9 million sheep in 2024, the 68th largest in the world (0.14% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 6.0%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/namibia/

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# Sheep in Namibia

Namibia had 1.9 million sheep in 2024, the 68th largest in the world (0.14% of the world total). Over ten years it fell by 6.0%. The record was 4.5 million head in 1975.
The 2024 figure is estimated by FAO.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/lamb/)

Animals, 20241.9 million head
World rank68 of 177
10-year change−6.0%
Record4.5 million head1975

## Sheep in Namibia, 1961–2024 (head)

## Namibia compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.14%0.18% in 2014
10-year change−6.0%world +17%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 66 | [Togo](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/togo/) | 2,029,331 | 0.15% |
| 67 | [Egypt](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/egypt/) | 1,950,000 | 0.14% |
| 68 | **Namibia** | 1,921,652 | 0.14% |
| 69 | [Lesotho](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/lesotho/) | 1,913,822 | 0.14% |
| 70 | [Serbia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/serbia/) | 1,759,424 | 0.13% |

[Full ranking of 177 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

### Map of sheep numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; Namibia is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 1,921,652 | −3.9% |
| 2023 | 1,999,839 | −9.3% |
| 2022 | 2,204,508 | +41% |
| 2021 | 1,560,609 | +19% |
| 2020 | 1,307,355 | −21% |
| 2019 | 1,658,233 | −5.2% |
| 2018 | 1,748,795 | −8.8% |
| 2017 | 1,917,022 | +9.8% |
| 2016 | 1,746,642 | −11% |
| 2015 | 1,973,393 | −3.5% |
| 2014 | 2,044,156 | −6.6% |
| 2013 | 2,188,758 | −18% |
| 2012 | 2,677,913 | −6.0% |
| 2011 | 2,850,000 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 2,800,000 | +3.7% |
| 2009 | 2,700,000 | 0.0% |
| 2008 | 2,700,000 | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 2,652,658 | −0.3% |
| 2006 | 2,660,252 | −0.1% |
| 2005 | 2,663,795 | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 2,619,363 | −11% |
| 2003 | 2,955,454 | +6.9% |
| 2002 | 2,764,253 | +24% |
| 2001 | 2,233,578 | −8.7% |
| 2000 | 2,446,146 | +12% |
| 1999 | 2,174,370 | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 2,086,434 | −14% |
| 1997 | 2,429,328 | +11% |
| 1996 | 2,198,436 | −8.8% |
| 1995 | 2,409,700 | −8.0% |
| 1994 | 2,619,520 | −1.2% |
| 1993 | 2,651,823 | −7.4% |
| 1992 | 2,863,401 | −13% |
| 1991 | 3,295,447 | −1.0% |
| 1990 | 3,328,316 | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 3,242,007 | +6.4% |
| 1988 | 3,046,306 | +8.4% |
| 1987 | 2,811,224 | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 2,741,336 | +6.3% |
| 1985 | 2,579,766 | −1.0% |
| 1984 | 2,606,024 | +12% |
| 1983 | 2,331,969 | −16% |
| 1982 | 2,791,347 | −19% |
| 1981 | 3,452,068 | −23% |
| 1980 | 4,474,027 | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 4,325,539 | −1.3% |
| 1978 | 4,382,577 | −1.0% |
| 1977 | 4,425,470 | +28% |
| 1976 | 3,450,000 | −23% |
| 1975 | 4,500,000 | +20% |
| 1974 | 3,750,000 | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 3,720,000 | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 3,700,000 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 3,680,000 | +0.5% |
| 1970 | 3,660,000 | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 3,640,000 | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 3,620,000 | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 3,600,000 | −2.6% |
| 1966 | 3,697,000 | +1.3% |
| 1965 | 3,650,000 | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 3,600,000 | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 3,553,001 | +11% |
| 1962 | 3,213,810 | +8.8% |
| 1961 | 2,954,074 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many sheep are there in Namibia?

Namibia had 1.9 million sheep in 2024, 0.14% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does Namibia rank in the world by number of sheep?

Namibia ranked 68th of 177 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in China with 13.4% of the world total.

### How has the number of sheep in Namibia changed?

It fell by 6.0% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +17% for the world. The record was 4.5 million head in 1975.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Namibia is estimated by FAO. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[China](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/china/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/india/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/australia/)[Iran](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/iran/)[Nigeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/nigeria/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/chad/)[Turkey](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/turkey/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/ethiopia/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/sudan/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/pakistan/)[Algeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/algeria/)[United Kingdom](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/united-kingdom/)
[All countries producing sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

## Other products of Namibia

[Other starchy roots and tubers](https://husfarm.com/production/other-roots-and-tubers/namibia/)[Beer](https://husfarm.com/production/beer/namibia/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/namibia/)[Grapes](https://husfarm.com/production/grapes/namibia/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/namibia/)[Maize](https://husfarm.com/production/maize/namibia/)[Onions, dry](https://husfarm.com/production/onions/namibia/)[Other fruits, n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-fruits/namibia/)[Other pulses n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-pulses-n-e-c/namibia/)[Other vegetables, fresh n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-vegetables/namibia/)[Wheat](https://husfarm.com/production/wheat/namibia/)[Potatoes](https://husfarm.com/production/potatoes/namibia/)
[Agricultural production in Namibia](https://husfarm.com/production/country/namibia/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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