People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 14.16 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zimbabwe, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 14.16 people per square kilometre for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in 2023. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 1.5% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zimbabwe peaked at 14.16 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 10.38 people per square kilometre, in 2000.
Zimbabwe ranks 41st of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.38 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 10.38 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 10.4 people per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 10.53 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 10.66 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 10.78 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 10.93 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 11.09 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 11.24 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 11.42 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 11.62 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 11.85 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 12.06 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 12.24 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 12.43 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 12.6 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 12.78 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 12.96 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 13.14 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 13.33 people per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 13.53 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 13.73 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 13.95 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 14.16 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 14.16 people per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.83 people per square kilometre, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 14.16 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.84 people per square kilometre, 79% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.78 people per square kilometre | 10.38 people per square kilometre | 11.42 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.5 people per square kilometre | 11.62 people per square kilometre | 13.33 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.84 people per square kilometre | 13.53 people per square kilometre | 14.16 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 38 Papua New Guinea 14.99 people per square kilometre compare
- 39 Niger 14.75 people per square kilometre compare
- 40 Eritrea 14.59 people per square kilometre compare
- 42 East Timor 13.42 people per square kilometre compare
- 43 Rwanda 12.93 people per square kilometre compare
- 44 South Sudan 12.4 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (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 (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (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 Zimbabwe?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Zimbabwe was 14.16 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 14.16 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.38 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- Zimbabwe ranks 41st out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.