Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Malawi
Malawi: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 33,791 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Malawi, 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 urban areas in Malawi stood at 33,791 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 3.4% on the previous year and down 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Malawi peaked at 41,093 people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 33,791 people, in 2024.
That places Malawi 48th out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Malawi, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40,616 people | — |
| 2001 | 40,713 people | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 40,788 people | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 40,852 people | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 40,912 people | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 40,973 people | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 41,022 people | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 41,055 people | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 41,073 people | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 41,093 people | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 41,084 people | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 41,035 people | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 40,933 people | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 40,782 people | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 40,571 people | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 40,293 people | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 39,943 people | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 39,524 people | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 39,021 people | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 38,427 people | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 37,740 people | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 36,936 people | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 36,015 people | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 34,969 people | -2.9% |
| 2024 | 33,791 people | -3.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 33,791 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 161,906 people, 21% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 33,791 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 154,026 people, 22% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 40,910 people | 40,616 people | 41,093 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 40,161 people | 38,427 people | 41,084 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 35,890 people | 33,791 people | 37,740 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 45 Sao Tome and Principe 55,150 people compare
- 46 El Salvador 38,891 people compare
- 47 Guinea 38,116 people compare
- 49 Tunisia 30,561 people compare
- 50 Equatorial Guinea 28,499 people compare
- 51 Gabon 28,206 people compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Malawi?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Malawi was 33,791 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 urban areas recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 41,093 people in 2009.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 33,791 people in 2024.
- How does Malawi rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Malawi ranks 48th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi 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 urban 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.