Namibia vs South Africa: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas
Namibia
333,926 people
in 2024
South Africa
177,162 people
in 2024
Namibia rank
22nd
South Africa rank
25th
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas over time
- Namibia
- South Africa
How they compare
Namibia currently reports 333,926 people against 177,162 people in South Africa, a difference of 156,764 people.
That makes Namibia's figure about 1.9 times South Africa's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was South Africa ahead.
Namibia ranks 22nd and South Africa ranks 25th of 186 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Namibia averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Namibia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 118,492 people | 631,248 people | 512,756 people | South Africa |
| 2010s | 200,814 people | 450,480 people | 249,666 people | South Africa |
| 2020s | 302,801 people | 246,019 people | 56,782 people | Namibia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, Namibia or South Africa?
- Namibia, at 333,926 people against 177,162 people in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in sanitation facilities usage in urban areas between Namibia and South Africa?
- 156,764 people, with Namibia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Namibia and South Africa?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Namibia and South Africa rank globally for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Namibia ranks 22nd and South Africa ranks 25th of 186 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 urban 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.