How many years of comparable data are there for Rwanda and Zambia?

17 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2024.

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 Rural population without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Rwanda vs Zambia: Rural population without basic handwashing facilities

Rwanda

9.81 million people

in 2024

Zambia

10.27 million people

in 2024

Rwanda rank

26th

Zambia rank

25th

Rural population without basic handwashing facilities over time

Rwanda
Zambia

How they compare

Zambia currently reports 10.27 million people against 9.81 million people in Rwanda, a difference of 464,560 people.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 17 shared years of data; in 2008 it was Rwanda ahead.

Rwanda ranks 26th and Zambia ranks 25th of 113 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Rwanda averaged higher in 2 and Zambia in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Rwanda	Zambia	Difference	Ahead
2000s	7.88 million people	7.39 million people	498,710 people	Rwanda
2010s	8.58 million people	8.55 million people	33,536 people	Rwanda
2020s	9.45 million people	9.92 million people	471,838 people	Zambia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rural population without basic handwashing facilities, Rwanda or Zambia?: Zambia, at 10.27 million people against 9.81 million people in Rwanda as of 2024.
What is the difference in rural population without basic handwashing facilities between Rwanda and Zambia?: 464,560 people, with Zambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Rwanda and Zambia?: 17 years are reported by both, from 2008 to 2024.
How do Rwanda and Zambia rank globally for rural population without basic handwashing facilities?: Rwanda ranks 26th and Zambia ranks 25th 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 Rural population without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Rwanda vs Zambia: Rural population 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/rural-without-basic-handwashing/rwanda/zambia/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/rural-without-basic-handwashing/rwanda/zambia/">Rwanda vs Zambia: Rural population without basic handwashing facilities</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Rural population 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: 113 places, 1,715 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

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