Malawi vs Zambia: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas
Malawi
387,153 people
in 2024
Zambia
367,696 people
in 2024
Malawi rank
46th
Zambia rank
47th
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas over time
- Malawi
- Zambia
How they compare
Malawi currently reports 387,153 people against 367,696 people in Zambia, a difference of 19,457 people.
That makes Malawi's figure about 1.1 times Zambia's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Zambia ahead.
Malawi ranks 46th and Zambia ranks 47th of 175 countries.
Zambia has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Malawi | Zambia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.50 million people | 2.62 million people | 1.12 million people | Zambia |
| 2010s | 1.10 million people | 1.78 million people | 680,369 people | Zambia |
| 2020s | 569,757 people | 716,817 people | 147,060 people | Zambia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher sanitation facilities usage in rural areas, Malawi or Zambia?
- Malawi, at 387,153 people against 367,696 people in Zambia as of 2024.
- What is the difference in sanitation facilities usage in rural areas between Malawi and Zambia?
- 19,457 people, with Malawi ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Zambia?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Malawi and Zambia rank globally for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Malawi ranks 46th and Zambia ranks 47th of 175 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 Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.