Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Share of population using safely managed sanitation was 23.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Zimbabwe, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 23.6% for share of population using safely managed sanitation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population using safely managed sanitation in Zimbabwe peaked at 31.0% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 23.6%, in 2024.
Zimbabwe ranks 129th of 150 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 30.9% | — |
| 2001 | 30.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 30.9% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 31.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 31.0% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 30.7% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 30.3% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 30.0% | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 29.7% | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 29.4% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 29.1% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 28.4% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 27.8% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 27.2% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 26.6% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 26.1% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 25.6% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 25.1% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 24.6% | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 24.1% | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 23.9% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 23.6% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 23.6% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 23.6% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | -0.1% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 23.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37.3%, 63% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 23.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 23.6%, 1.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30.5% | 29.4% | 31.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.5% | 24.1% | 29.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.7% | 23.6% | 23.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
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)
- 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)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 11,077 2010 = 100 (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population using safely managed sanitation in Zimbabwe?
- Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Zimbabwe was 23.6% 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 population using safely managed sanitation recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 31.0% in 2004.
- What is the lowest share of population using safely managed sanitation recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.6% in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for share of population using safely managed sanitation?
- Zimbabwe ranks 129th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population using safely managed sanitation rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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 population using safely managed sanitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.