Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Zambia
Zambia: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 68,274 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Zambia, 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
Zambia recorded 68,274 people for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 10.4% on the previous year and down 42.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Zambia peaked at 122,754 people in 2009 and was at its lowest, 68,274 people, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 40th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 119,775 people | 116,331 people | 122,754 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 114,589 people | 100,824 people | 122,616 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 82,679 people | 68,274 people | 95,701 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More reference data data for Zambia
- Spring temperature anomalies -0.0386 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies -0.018 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.3261 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.5273 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies -0.2981 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Zambia?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Zambia was 68,274 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 122,754 people in 2009.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 68,274 people in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Zambia ranks 40th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.