Laos vs South Africa: Share of population using safely managed sanitation
Laos
71.4%
in 2024
South Africa
73.8%
in 2024
Laos rank
67th
South Africa rank
64th
Share of population using safely managed sanitation over time
- Laos
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 73.8% against 71.4% in Laos, a difference of 2.4%.
Across all 25 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Laos ranks 67th and South Africa ranks 64th of 150 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Laos | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 31.7% | 50.1% | 18.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 53.1% | 57.8% | 4.7% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 68.1% | 71.1% | 3.0% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of population using safely managed sanitation, Laos or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 73.8% against 71.4% in Laos as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of population using safely managed sanitation between Laos and South Africa?
- 2.4%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Laos and South Africa?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Laos and South Africa rank globally for share of population using safely managed sanitation?
- Laos ranks 67th and South Africa ranks 64th of 150 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 Share of population using safely managed sanitation. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.