People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in South Africa
South Africa: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 2.93 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in South Africa stood at 2.93 people per square kilometre. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.4% on the previous year and down 39.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in South Africa peaked at 7.59 people per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.93 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places South Africa 77th out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.59 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 7.37 people per square kilometre | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 7.15 people per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 6.93 people per square kilometre | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 6.72 people per square kilometre | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 6.5 people per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 6.28 people per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 6.07 people per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 5.86 people per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 5.66 people per square kilometre | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 5.45 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2011 | 5.25 people per square kilometre | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 5.06 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 4.88 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 4.69 people per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 4.52 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 4.31 people per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 4.08 people per square kilometre | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 3.89 people per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 3.71 people per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 3.52 people per square kilometre | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 3.33 people per square kilometre | -5.5% |
| 2022 | 3.13 people per square kilometre | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 2.93 people per square kilometre | -6.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 2.93 people per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.12 people per square kilometre, 2.6× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 2.93 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.84 people per square kilometre, 16% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.61 people per square kilometre | 5.66 people per square kilometre | 7.59 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.58 people per square kilometre | 3.71 people per square kilometre | 5.45 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.23 people per square kilometre | 2.93 people per square kilometre | 3.52 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 74 Central African Republic 4.08 people per square kilometre compare
- 75 Laos 3.48 people per square kilometre compare
- 76 Dominican Republic 2.96 people per square kilometre compare
- 78 Trinidad and Tobago 2.53 people per square kilometre compare
- 79 Palestine 2.53 people per square kilometre compare
- 80 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2.5 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in South Africa?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in South Africa was 2.93 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.59 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.93 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- South Africa ranks 77th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa 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.