Brazil vs South Africa: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities
Brazil
7.5%
in 2024
South Africa
7.8%
in 2024
Brazil rank
76th
South Africa rank
74th
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities over time
- Brazil
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 7.8% against 7.5% in Brazil, a difference of 0.3%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was Brazil ahead.
Brazil ranks 76th and South Africa ranks 74th of 232 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Brazil averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.9% | 21.3% | 0.6% | Brazil |
| 2010s | 14.3% | 13.9% | 0.3% | Brazil |
| 2020s | 8.9% | 9.0% | 0.1% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of population not using improved sanitation facilities, Brazil or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 7.8% against 7.5% in Brazil as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of population not using improved sanitation facilities between Brazil and South Africa?
- 0.3%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and South Africa?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Brazil and South Africa rank globally for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Brazil ranks 76th and South Africa ranks 74th of 232 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 not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.