People using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia

Zambia: People using at least basic sanitation services, rural was 32.3% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
32.3%
Change on year
up 3.1%
World rank
139th
of 171 countries
All-time high
32.3%
in 2024
All-time low
7.9%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia, 2000–2024

10152025302000201220242000: 7.9 % of rural population2001: 8.8 % of rural population2002: 9.7 % of rural population2003: 10.7 % of rural population2004: 11.6 % of rural population2005: 12.6 % of rural population2006: 13.5 % of rural population2007: 14.5 % of rural population2008: 15.5 % of rural population2009: 16.5 % of rural population2010: 17.6 % of rural population2011: 18.6 % of rural population2012: 19.6 % of rural population2013: 20.7 % of rural population2014: 21.8 % of rural population2015: 22.9 % of rural population2016: 23.9 % of rural population2017: 25.1 % of rural population2018: 26.2 % of rural population2019: 27.3 % of rural population2020: 28.4 % of rural population2021: 29.4 % of rural population2022: 30.4 % of rural population2023: 31.4 % of rural population2024: 32.3 % of rural population

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.

Analysis

Zambia recorded 32.3% for people using at least basic sanitation services, rural in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 48.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia peaked at 32.3% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 7.9%, in 2000.

That places Zambia 139th out of 171 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

People using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia, year by year

Annual values for People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural population) in Zambia, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 7.9%
2001 8.8% +11.6%
2002 9.7% +10.5%
2003 10.7% +9.7%
2004 11.6% +8.9%
2005 12.6% +8.3%
2006 13.5% +7.7%
2007 14.5% +7.3%
2008 15.5% +6.9%
2009 16.5% +6.5%
2010 17.6% +6.2%
2011 18.6% +5.9%
2012 19.6% +5.6%
2013 20.7% +5.4%
2014 21.8% +5.2%
2015 22.9% +5.0%
2016 23.9% +4.8%
2017 25.1% +4.6%
2018 26.2% +4.5%
2019 27.3% +4.3%
2020 28.4% +4.2%
2021 29.4% +3.4%
2022 30.4% +3.3%
2023 31.4% +3.2%
2024 32.3% +3.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 12.1% 7.9% 16.5% 10
2010s 22.4% 17.6% 27.3% 10
2020s 30.4% 28.4% 32.3% 5

Countries ranked near Zambia

  1. 136 Mali 38.7% compare
  2. 137 Somalia 35.4% compare
  3. 138 Nigeria 34.2% compare
  4. 140 Zimbabwe 31.8% compare
  5. 141 Mauritania 26.6% compare
  6. 142 Tanzania, United Republic of 25.8% compare

See the full ranking of 218 places →

More health data for Zambia

All data for Zambia →

Frequently asked questions

What is people using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia?
People using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia was 32.3% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest people using at least basic sanitation services, rural recorded in Zambia?
The highest recorded value was 32.3% in 2024.
What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation services, rural recorded in Zambia?
The lowest recorded value was 7.9% in 2000.
How does Zambia rank for people using at least basic sanitation services, rural?
Zambia ranks 139th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
Is people using at least basic sanitation services, rural rising or falling in Zambia?
Over the last ten years it is up 48.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zambia data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People using at least basic sanitation services, rural in Zambia. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-using-at-least-basic-sanitation-services-rural-percent-of-rural-population/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
People using at least basic sanitation services, rural (% of rural population)
Unit
% of rural population
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
218 places, 5,336 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of people using at least basic sanitation services, that is, improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households. This indicator encompasses both people using basic sanitation services as well as those using safely managed sanitation services. Improved sanitation facilities include flush/pour flush to piped sewer systems, septic tanks or pit latrines; ventilated improved pit latrines, composting toilets or pit latrines with slabs.