Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 2.10 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Zimbabwe, 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
The most recent figure for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Zimbabwe is 2.10 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.0% on the previous year and down 30.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Zimbabwe peaked at 3.82 million people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 2.10 million people, in 2024.
Zimbabwe ranks 24th of 175 countries on this measure, 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.82 million people | — |
| 2001 | 3.82 million people | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.73 million people | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 3.68 million people | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 3.62 million people | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 3.56 million people | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 3.51 million people | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 3.45 million people | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 3.39 million people | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 3.34 million people | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 3.29 million people | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 3.24 million people | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 3.18 million people | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 3.11 million people | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 3.04 million people | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 2.96 million people | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.88 million people | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 2.79 million people | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 2.70 million people | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 2.61 million people | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 2.52 million people | -3.6% |
| 2021 | 2.42 million people | -3.8% |
| 2022 | 2.32 million people | -4.2% |
| 2023 | 2.21 million people | -4.6% |
| 2024 | 2.10 million people | -5.0% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2.10 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 539,517 people, 3.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2.10 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.59 million people | 3.34 million people | 3.82 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.98 million people | 2.61 million people | 3.29 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.31 million people | 2.10 million people | 2.52 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Zimbabwe?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Zimbabwe was 2.10 million 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 3.82 million people in 2001.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.10 million people in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Zimbabwe ranks 24th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.