Share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi
Malawi: Share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities was 12.5% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi stood at 12.5%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi peaked at 12.5% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 12.5%, in 2000.
Malawi ranks 99th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.5% | — |
| 2001 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12.5% | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 12.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 15.4%, 81% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 12.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.7%, 71% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 96 Madagascar 15.1% compare
- 97 Tanzania 14.8% compare
- 98 Guinea 13.1% compare
- 100 Democratic Republic of Congo 12.3% compare
- 101 Central African Republic 12.1% compare
- 102 Gambia 11.9% compare
More reference data data for Malawi
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1596 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.09 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3426 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5353 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.6012 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.92 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.87 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi?
- Share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Malawi was 12.5% 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 share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 12.5% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.5% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities?
- Malawi ranks 99th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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 Share of rural population with access to basic handwashing facilities. 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
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.