South Africa vs Zimbabwe: Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas
South Africa
52.6%
in 2020
Zimbabwe
55.7%
in 2024
South Africa rank
75th
Zimbabwe rank
73rd
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas over time
- South Africa
- Zimbabwe
How they compare
Zimbabwe currently reports 55.7% against 52.6% in South Africa, a difference of 3.1%.
That makes Zimbabwe's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 9 years both countries report, Zimbabwe has been ahead every year.
South Africa ranks 75th and Zimbabwe ranks 73rd of 113 countries.
Zimbabwe has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Zimbabwe | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 52.6% | 55.7% | 3.1% | Zimbabwe |
| 2020s | 52.6% | 55.7% | 3.1% | Zimbabwe |
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, South Africa or Zimbabwe?
- Zimbabwe, at 55.7% against 52.6% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas between South Africa and Zimbabwe?
- 3.1%, with Zimbabwe ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Zimbabwe?
- 9 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2020.
- How do South Africa and Zimbabwe rank globally for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas?
- South Africa ranks 75th and Zimbabwe ranks 73rd 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.