People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Malawi
Malawi: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 48.71 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Malawi, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 48.71 people per square kilometre for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in 2023.
That represents a change of up 2.2% on the previous year and down 42.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Malawi peaked at 101.7 people per square kilometre in 2004 and was at its lowest, 47.65 people per square kilometre, in 2022.
Malawi ranks 11th of 171 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Malawi, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 92.44 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 94.61 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 96.86 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 99.21 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 101.7 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 100.26 people per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 98.76 people per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 97.17 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 95.49 people per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 93.67 people per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 91.65 people per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 89.4 people per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 86.9 people per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 84.15 people per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 81.15 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2015 | 77.88 people per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 74.35 people per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 2017 | 70.58 people per square kilometre | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 66.53 people per square kilometre | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 62.22 people per square kilometre | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 57.64 people per square kilometre | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 52.78 people per square kilometre | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 47.65 people per square kilometre | -9.7% |
| 2023 | 48.71 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 48.71 people per square kilometre is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.87 people per square kilometre, 2.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 48.71 people per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.84 people per square kilometre, 2.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 97.02 people per square kilometre | 92.44 people per square kilometre | 101.7 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.48 people per square kilometre | 62.22 people per square kilometre | 91.65 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.7 people per square kilometre | 47.65 people per square kilometre | 57.64 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 8 Nigeria 67.49 people per square kilometre compare
- 9 Gambia 64.41 people per square kilometre compare
- 10 Pakistan 52.81 people per square kilometre compare
- 12 Benin 47.65 people per square kilometre compare
- 13 India 43.14 people per square kilometre compare
- 14 Sierra Leone 39.91 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Malawi?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Malawi was 48.71 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 101.7 people per square kilometre in 2004.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.65 people per square kilometre in 2022.
- How does Malawi rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- Malawi ranks 11th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.