Eswatini vs South Africa: Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas
Eswatini
48.5%
in 2024
South Africa
52.6%
in 2020
Eswatini rank
78th
South Africa rank
75th
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas over time
- Eswatini
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 52.6% against 48.5% in Eswatini, a difference of 4.1%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Eswatini's.
Across all 9 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Eswatini ranks 78th and South Africa ranks 75th of 113 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Eswatini | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 49.1% | 52.6% | 3.4% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 48.8% | 52.6% | 3.8% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas, Eswatini or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 52.6% against 48.5% in Eswatini as of 2020.
- What is the difference in access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas between Eswatini and South Africa?
- 4.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Eswatini and South Africa?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2020.
- How do Eswatini and South Africa rank globally for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas?
- Eswatini ranks 78th and South Africa ranks 75th of 113 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 Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.