Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia
Zambia: Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre was 0.8404 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia is 0.8404 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of down 22.5% on the previous year and down 70.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia peaked at 3.99 people per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.8404 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places Zambia 84th out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.99 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 3.94 people per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 3.88 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 3.81 people per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2004 | 3.74 people per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 3.66 people per square kilometre | -2.0% |
| 2006 | 3.59 people per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 3.51 people per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 3.42 people per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 3.33 people per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 3.22 people per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 3.1 people per square kilometre | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 2.97 people per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 2.83 people per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 2.67 people per square kilometre | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 2.51 people per square kilometre | -6.1% |
| 2016 | 2.34 people per square kilometre | -6.9% |
| 2017 | 2.16 people per square kilometre | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 1.96 people per square kilometre | -9.0% |
| 2019 | 1.76 people per square kilometre | -10.4% |
| 2020 | 1.55 people per square kilometre | -12.2% |
| 2021 | 1.32 people per square kilometre | -14.6% |
| 2022 | 1.08 people per square kilometre | -17.8% |
| 2023 | 0.8404 people per square kilometre | -22.5% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 0.8404 people per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.47 people per square kilometre, 19% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 0.8404 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.23 people per square kilometre, 13% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.69 people per square kilometre | 3.33 people per square kilometre | 3.99 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.55 people per square kilometre | 1.76 people per square kilometre | 3.22 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.2 people per square kilometre | 0.8404 people per square kilometre | 1.55 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 81 Bolivia 0.8645 people per square kilometre compare
- 82 Mauritania 0.8635 people per square kilometre compare
- 83 Mali 0.8526 people per square kilometre compare
- 85 Syria 0.713 people per square kilometre compare
- 86 Peru 0.6674 people per square kilometre compare
- 87 Trinidad and Tobago 0.5308 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Political opposition, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament and government, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia?
- Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zambia was 0.8404 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 3.99 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8404 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does Zambia rank for sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre?
- Zambia ranks 84th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia 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.