Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre was 0.1758 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in South Africa, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 0.1758 people per square kilometre for sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.9% on the previous year and down 90.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 4.45 people per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1758 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
South Africa ranks 98th 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 square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.45 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 4.25 people per square kilometre | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 4.05 people per square kilometre | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 3.85 people per square kilometre | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 3.66 people per square kilometre | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 3.46 people per square kilometre | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 3.26 people per square kilometre | -5.7% |
| 2007 | 3.07 people per square kilometre | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 2.88 people per square kilometre | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 2.68 people per square kilometre | -6.7% |
| 2010 | 2.49 people per square kilometre | -7.2% |
| 2011 | 2.3 people per square kilometre | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 2.11 people per square kilometre | -8.1% |
| 2013 | 1.93 people per square kilometre | -8.7% |
| 2014 | 1.74 people per square kilometre | -9.7% |
| 2015 | 1.56 people per square kilometre | -10.5% |
| 2016 | 1.36 people per square kilometre | -12.9% |
| 2017 | 1.15 people per square kilometre | -15.0% |
| 2018 | 0.9631 people per square kilometre | -16.6% |
| 2019 | 0.7691 people per square kilometre | -20.1% |
| 2020 | 0.5732 people per square kilometre | -25.5% |
| 2021 | 0.3752 people per square kilometre | -34.5% |
| 2022 | 0.2043 people per square kilometre | -45.6% |
| 2023 | 0.1758 people per square kilometre | -13.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.1758 people per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1206 people per square kilometre, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.1758 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.23 people per square kilometre, 3% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre 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 | -45.6% | 0.3752 people per square kilometre | 0.2043 people per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.56 people per square kilometre | 2.68 people per square kilometre | 4.45 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.64 people per square kilometre | 0.7691 people per square kilometre | 2.49 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3321 people per square kilometre | 0.1758 people per square kilometre | 0.5732 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 95 Tunisia 0.1959 people per square kilometre compare
- 96 Gambia 0.1882 people per square kilometre compare
- 97 Cuba 0.1801 people per square kilometre compare
- 99 Qatar 0.1645 people per square kilometre compare
- 100 Turkey 0.1622 people per square kilometre compare
- 101 Croatia 0.1613 people per square kilometre compare
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 square kilometre in South Africa?
- Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in South Africa was 0.1758 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 4.45 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1758 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 98th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 90.9%. 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 square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Sanitation facilities usage ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Sanitation facilities usage WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
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 Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.