People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia
Zambia: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 8.88 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia is 8.88 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia peaked at 8.97 people per square kilometre in 2019 and was at its lowest, 7.76 people per square kilometre, in 2000.
That places Zambia 52nd out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.76 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 7.86 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 7.93 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 8 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2004 | 8.08 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2005 | 8.16 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 8.25 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 8.35 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 8.45 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 8.55 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 8.63 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 8.7 people per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 8.76 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 8.82 people per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 8.86 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 8.9 people per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 8.93 people per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 8.95 people per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 8.97 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 8.97 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8.96 people per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 8.94 people per square kilometre | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 8.91 people per square kilometre | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 8.88 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 8.88 people per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.83 people per square kilometre, 75% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 8.88 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.84 people per square kilometre, 50% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.14 people per square kilometre | 7.76 people per square kilometre | 8.55 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.85 people per square kilometre | 8.63 people per square kilometre | 8.97 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.93 people per square kilometre | 8.88 people per square kilometre | 8.96 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 49 Cambodia 10.23 people per square kilometre compare
- 50 Myanmar 10.11 people per square kilometre compare
- 51 Cape Verde 9.23 people per square kilometre compare
- 53 Nepal 8.44 people per square kilometre compare
- 54 Morocco 8.15 people per square kilometre compare
- 55 Djibouti 8.08 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Political opposition, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament and government, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zambia was 8.88 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 8.97 people per square kilometre in 2019.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.76 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- How does Zambia rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- Zambia ranks 52nd out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.