Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena's 31.5/km² density leads Namibia, the fertile north supporting 337,779 people through mahangu cultivation devastated by 2024 drought and floods.
Ohangwena achieves Namibia's highest population density at 31.5 persons per km², the northern region's better rainfall and fertile soils supporting the subsistence mahangu (pearl millet) cultivation and cattle keeping that sustain 337,779 people. This demographic concentration reflects agricultural conditions that most of Namibia lacks—water and soil creating carrying capacity that the southern deserts cannot match.
The region borders Angola, the proximity creating cross-border connections and historical migration patterns that shape population demographics. Annual population growth of 2.7% and fertility of 5.0 children per woman suggest demographic expansion that subsistence agriculture may struggle to absorb, the land pressure that high density creates.
The 2024 drought and flash floods devastated the region's agricultural production, very poor grazing conditions threatening livestock that represents both livelihood and wealth. The 579,000 Namibians experiencing severe acute food insecurity concentrate in northern regions where agriculture's failure means hunger. Whether Ohangwena can maintain food security—or whether climate volatility overwhelms the subsistence systems that density reflects—determines whether northern population concentration remains viable.