Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia
Namibia: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 716,848 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia, 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
In 2024, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia stood at 716,848 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia peaked at 983,306 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 716,848 people, in 2024.
That places Namibia 41st out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 983,306 people | — |
| 2001 | 982,550 people | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 973,247 people | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 959,558 people | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 943,872 people | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 927,702 people | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 911,451 people | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 895,395 people | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 879,626 people | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 864,234 people | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 849,155 people | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 835,185 people | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 824,659 people | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 816,714 people | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 808,302 people | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 799,692 people | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 791,160 people | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 782,707 people | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 774,320 people | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 765,915 people | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 758,155 people | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 750,507 people | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 741,364 people | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 730,127 people | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 716,848 people | -1.8% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 716,848 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 539,517 people, 1.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 716,848 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 62% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 932,094 people | 864,234 people | 983,306 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 804,781 people | 765,915 people | 849,155 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 739,400 people | 716,848 people | 758,155 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More reference data data for Namibia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0579 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0157 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1306 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0853 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Namibia was 716,848 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 983,306 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 716,848 people in 2024.
- How does Namibia rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Namibia ranks 41st out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia 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 Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas. 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
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.