People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Eswatini
Eswatini: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 115,473 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Eswatini, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Eswatini recorded 115,473 people for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.4% on the previous year and down 39.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Eswatini peaked at 282,793 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 115,473 people, in 2024.
Eswatini ranks 88th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 282,793 people | — |
| 2001 | 278,187 people | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 273,090 people | -1.8% |
| 2003 | 267,568 people | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 261,727 people | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 255,622 people | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 249,305 people | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 242,930 people | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 235,792 people | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 228,510 people | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 221,047 people | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 213,461 people | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 205,986 people | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 198,465 people | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 190,913 people | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 183,328 people | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 175,686 people | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 168,251 people | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 160,987 people | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 153,611 people | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 146,330 people | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 139,000 people | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 131,328 people | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 123,435 people | -6.0% |
| 2024 | 115,473 people | -6.5% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 115,473 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 million people, 7% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 115,473 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 2% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 257,552 people | 228,510 people | 282,793 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 187,174 people | 153,611 people | 221,047 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 131,113 people | 115,473 people | 146,330 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
More reference data data for Eswatini
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0203 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3059 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3309 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0048 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3309 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0679 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0557 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.026 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Eswatini?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Eswatini was 115,473 people 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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 282,793 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 115,473 people in 2024.
- How does Eswatini rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Eswatini ranks 88th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 39.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.