Sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Sanitation facilities usage, per capita was 0.0028 people per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.0028 people per person for sanitation facilities usage, per capita in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 18.0% on the previous year and down 92.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.1144 people per person in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.0028 people per person, in 2024.
South Africa ranks 96th of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.1144 people per person | — |
| 2001 | 0.1084 people per person | -5.3% |
| 2002 | 0.1023 people per person | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 0.0964 people per person | -5.8% |
| 2004 | 0.0905 people per person | -6.1% |
| 2005 | 0.0848 people per person | -6.3% |
| 2006 | 0.0792 people per person | -6.6% |
| 2007 | 0.0737 people per person | -7.0% |
| 2008 | 0.0683 people per person | -7.3% |
| 2009 | 0.063 people per person | -7.8% |
| 2010 | 0.0578 people per person | -8.3% |
| 2011 | 0.0527 people per person | -8.8% |
| 2012 | 0.0477 people per person | -9.5% |
| 2013 | 0.0428 people per person | -10.2% |
| 2014 | 0.038 people per person | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 0.0334 people per person | -12.3% |
| 2016 | 0.0288 people per person | -13.7% |
| 2017 | 0.0243 people per person | -15.5% |
| 2018 | 0.0199 people per person | -18.0% |
| 2019 | 0.0157 people per person | -21.4% |
| 2020 | 0.0115 people per person | -26.7% |
| 2021 | 0.0074 people per person | -35.5% |
| 2022 | 0.004 people per person | -46.3% |
| 2023 | 0.0034 people per person | -15.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0028 people per person | -18.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0028 people per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0027 people per person, 1.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0028 people per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1215 people per person, 2% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -46.3% | 0.0074 people per person | 0.004 people per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 0.0881 people per person | 0.063 people per person | 0.1144 people per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0361 people per person | 0.0157 people per person | 0.0578 people per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0058 people per person | 0.0028 people per person | 0.0115 people per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa?
- Sanitation facilities usage, per capita in South Africa was 0.0028 people per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest sanitation facilities usage, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1144 people per person in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0028 people per person in 2024.
- How does South Africa rank for sanitation facilities usage, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 96th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 92.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Sanitation facilities usage, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Sanitation facilities usage divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Sanitation facilities usage ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Sanitation facilities usage WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Sanitation facilities usage divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.