People not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: People not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita was 0.078 people per person in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per person.
Analysis
In 2024, people not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa stood at 0.078 people per person. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.1% on the previous year and down 45.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.2494 people per person in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.078 people per person, in 2024.
That places South Africa 75th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.2494 people per person | — |
| 2001 | 0.2413 people per person | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 0.2331 people per person | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 0.2249 people per person | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2168 people per person | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 0.2089 people per person | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 0.201 people per person | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 0.1933 people per person | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 0.1856 people per person | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 0.1781 people per person | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 0.1707 people per person | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 0.1634 people per person | -4.3% |
| 2012 | 0.1562 people per person | -4.4% |
| 2013 | 0.1491 people per person | -4.5% |
| 2014 | 0.1421 people per person | -4.7% |
| 2015 | 0.1353 people per person | -4.8% |
| 2016 | 0.1285 people per person | -5.0% |
| 2017 | 0.1218 people per person | -5.2% |
| 2018 | 0.1153 people per person | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 0.1088 people per person | -5.6% |
| 2020 | 0.1024 people per person | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 0.0962 people per person | -6.1% |
| 2022 | 0.09 people per person | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 0.0839 people per person | -6.7% |
| 2024 | 0.078 people per person | -7.1% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.078 people per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0261 people per person, 3.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.078 people per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3662 people per person, 21% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.2132 people per person | 0.1781 people per person | 0.2494 people per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1391 people per person | 0.1088 people per person | 0.1707 people per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0901 people per person | 0.078 people per person | 0.1024 people per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita in South Africa was 0.078 people per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest people not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2494 people per person in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.078 people per person in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 75th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.1%. 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 not using improved sanitation facilities, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
People not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
People not using improved sanitation facilities ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- People not using improved sanitation facilities WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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 not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.