Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa

South Africa: Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities was 21.3 in 2017. ▼ Falling

Latest (2017)
21.3
Change on year
down 22.3%
World rank
43rd
of 97 countries
All-time high
30.1
in 1999
All-time low
21.2
in 2015
Years of data
6
1994–2017

Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa, 1994–2017

01020301994200520171994: 28.71999: 30.12008: 252015: 21.22016: 27.42017: 21.3

Source: Our World in Data.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 21.3 for prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in 2017.

The figure is down 22.3% on the previous year and down 14.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa peaked at 30.1 in 1999 and was at its lowest, 21.2, in 2015.

South Africa ranks 43rd of 97 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa, 1994 to 2017.
Year Value Change
1994 28.7
1999 30.1 +4.9%
2008 25 -16.9%
2015 21.2 -15.2%
2016 27.4 +29.2%
2017 21.3 -22.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 29.4 28.7 30.1 2
2000s 25 25 25 1
2010s 23.3 21.2 27.4 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 40 Haiti 22 compare
  2. 40 Indonesia 22 compare
  3. 42 Cambodia 21.9 compare
  4. 44 Malaysia 21.2 compare
  5. 45 Burkina Faso 21.1 compare
  6. 46 Eswatini 20 compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa?
Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa was 21.3 in 2017, according to Our World in Data.
What is the highest prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 30.1 in 1999.
What is the lowest prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 21.2 in 2015.
How does South Africa rank for prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities?
South Africa ranks 43rd out of 97 countries with data for 2017.
Is prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/prevalence-of-stunting-vs-improved-sanitation-facilities/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Prevalence of stunting vs improved sanitation facilities
Source
Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
97 places, 955 data points, 1985–2024
Last refreshed