Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini

Eswatini: Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas was 48.5% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
48.5%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
78th
of 113 countries
All-time high
49.7%
in 2004
All-time low
48.5%
in 2024
Years of data
21
2004–2024

Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini, 2004–2024

010203040502004201420242004: 49.7 %2005: 49.7 %2006: 49.7 %2007: 49.7 %2008: 49.7 %2009: 49.6 %2010: 49.5 %2011: 49.5 %2012: 49.4 %2013: 49.3 %2014: 49.2 %2015: 49.1 %2016: 49.1 %2017: 49 %2018: 48.9 %2019: 48.8 %2020: 48.8 %2021: 48.7 %2022: 48.6 %2023: 48.5 %2024: 48.5 %

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini is 48.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 1.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini peaked at 49.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 48.5%, in 2024.

Eswatini ranks 78th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini, year by year

Annual values for Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini, 2004 to 2024.
Year % Change
2004 49.7%
2005 49.7% +0.0%
2006 49.7% +0.0%
2007 49.7% +0.0%
2008 49.7% +0.0%
2009 49.6% -0.2%
2010 49.5% -0.2%
2011 49.5% -0.2%
2012 49.4% -0.2%
2013 49.3% -0.2%
2014 49.2% -0.2%
2015 49.1% -0.2%
2016 49.1% -0.2%
2017 49.0% -0.2%
2018 48.9% -0.2%
2019 48.8% -0.2%
2020 48.8% -0.2%
2021 48.7% -0.2%
2022 48.6% -0.2%
2023 48.5% -0.2%
2024 48.5% -0.2%

Eswatini compared with similar countries

  • Eswatini's 48.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 62.4%, 78% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
  • Eswatini's 48.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.3%, 1.5× the median. (43 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 49.7% 49.6% 49.7% 6
2010s 49.2% 48.8% 49.5% 10
2020s 48.6% 48.5% 48.8% 5

Countries ranked near Eswatini

  1. 75 South Africa 52.6% compare
  2. 76 Dominican Republic 51.2% compare
  3. 77 Gabon 49.7% compare
  4. 79 Angola 44.8% compare
  5. 80 Cameroon 43.9% compare
  6. 81 East Timor 42.6% compare

See the full ranking of 113 places →

More reference data data for Eswatini

All data for Eswatini →

Frequently asked questions

What is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini?
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini was 48.5% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
The highest recorded value was 49.7% in 2004.
What is the lowest access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Eswatini?
The lowest recorded value was 48.5% in 2024.
How does Eswatini rank for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas?
Eswatini ranks 78th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
Is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Eswatini?
Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Eswatini data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Eswatini. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-with-basic-handwashing-facilities-urban-vs-rural/eswatini/

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About this data

Indicator
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
113 places, 1,688 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.