Pakistan vs South Africa: People without basic handwashing facilities

Pakistan
38.28 million people
in 2024
South Africa
33.69 million people
in 2020
Pakistan rank
10th
South Africa rank
12th

People without basic handwashing facilities over time

  • Pakistan
  • South Africa
40.0M60.0M80.0M100.0M200720152024

How they compare

Pakistan currently reports 38.28 million people against 33.69 million people in South Africa, a difference of 4.59 million people.

That makes Pakistan's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

Across all 9 years both countries report, Pakistan has been ahead every year.

Pakistan ranks 10th and South Africa ranks 12th of 120 countries.

Pakistan has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Pakistan South Africa Difference Ahead
2010s 74.64 million people 31.88 million people 42.76 million people Pakistan
2020s 49.58 million people 33.69 million people 15.89 million people Pakistan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people without basic handwashing facilities, Pakistan or South Africa?
Pakistan, at 38.28 million people against 33.69 million people in South Africa as of 2024.
What is the difference in people without basic handwashing facilities between Pakistan and South Africa?
4.59 million people, with Pakistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Pakistan and South Africa?
9 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2020.
How do Pakistan and South Africa rank globally for people without basic handwashing facilities?
Pakistan ranks 10th and South Africa ranks 12th of 120 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 without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Pakistan vs South Africa: People without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/number-without-basic-handwashing/pakistan/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
People without basic handwashing facilities
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
120 places, 1,792 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

People without access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.