South Africa vs Spain: People using at least basic sanitation facilities
South Africa
49.53 million people
in 2024
Spain
47.87 million people
in 2024
South Africa rank
24th
Spain rank
25th
People using at least basic sanitation facilities over time
- South Africa
- Spain
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 49.53 million people against 47.87 million people in Spain, a difference of 1.66 million people.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Spain ahead.
South Africa ranks 24th and Spain ranks 25th of 232 countries.
Spain has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 31.58 million people | 43.61 million people | 12.03 million people | Spain |
| 2010s | 39.89 million people | 46.88 million people | 6.99 million people | Spain |
| 2020s | 47.48 million people | 47.77 million people | 290,860 people | Spain |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher people using at least basic sanitation facilities, South Africa or Spain?
- South Africa, at 49.53 million people against 47.87 million people in Spain as of 2024.
- What is the difference in people using at least basic sanitation facilities between South Africa and Spain?
- 1.66 million people, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Spain?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Spain rank globally for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- South Africa ranks 24th and Spain ranks 25th of 232 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as People using at least basic sanitation facilities. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households.