Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre was 5.71 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zimbabwe, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 5.71 people per square kilometre for sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 4.7% on the previous year and down 30.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zimbabwe peaked at 10.18 people per square kilometre in 2001 and was at its lowest, 5.71 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places Zimbabwe 44th out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.17 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 10.18 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 9.94 people per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 9.79 people per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 9.64 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 9.47 people per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 9.31 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 9.16 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 8.99 people per square kilometre | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 8.84 people per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 8.69 people per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 8.55 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 8.38 people per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 8.19 people per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 7.99 people per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 7.77 people per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2016 | 7.54 people per square kilometre | -2.9% |
| 2017 | 7.3 people per square kilometre | -3.1% |
| 2018 | 7.06 people per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 6.81 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 6.55 people per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 6.28 people per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 2022 | 6 people per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 5.71 people per square kilometre | -4.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 5.71 people per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 4.47 people per square kilometre, 1.3× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 5.71 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 6.23 people per square kilometre, 92% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.55 people per square kilometre | 8.84 people per square kilometre | 10.18 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.83 people per square kilometre | 6.81 people per square kilometre | 8.69 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.14 people per square kilometre | 5.71 people per square kilometre | 6.55 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 41 Nepal 6.29 people per square kilometre compare
- 42 Kenya 6.04 people per square kilometre compare
- 43 Guinea-Bissau 5.97 people per square kilometre compare
- 45 Myanmar 5.62 people per square kilometre compare
- 46 Malawi 5.49 people per square kilometre compare
- 47 Democratic Republic of Congo 5.49 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Zimbabwe
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 58,959 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 58,959 (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 (2024)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 122.78 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 5 (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 Zimbabwe?
- Sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre in Zimbabwe was 5.71 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 10.18 people per square kilometre in 2001.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.71 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre?
- Zimbabwe ranks 44th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sanitation facilities usage, per square kilometre rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.