Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia
Namibia: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 47.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia is 47.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia peaked at 64.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 47.3%, in 2024.
Namibia ranks 18th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 64.1% | — |
| 2001 | 63.5% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 62.7% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 61.8% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 61.0% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 60.1% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 59.3% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 58.5% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 57.7% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 56.9% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 56.1% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 55.3% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 54.6% | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 53.8% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | 53.1% | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 52.4% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 51.7% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 51.1% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 50.5% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 49.9% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 49.3% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 48.8% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 48.2% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 47.8% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 47.3% | -1.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 47.3% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 47.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 60.6% | 56.9% | 64.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.8% | 49.9% | 56.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.3% | 47.3% | 49.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More reference data data for Namibia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0579 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0157 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1306 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0853 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Namibia was 47.3% 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 not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 64.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.3% in 2024.
- How does Namibia rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Namibia ranks 18th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia 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 not using improved sanitation 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
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.