People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water was 37.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central, 2011–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central is 37.7%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 4.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central peaked at 37.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.5%, in 2012.
That places Africa Western and Central 26th out of 31 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.
People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 35.5% | — |
| 2012 | 35.5% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 36.1% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 36.0% | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 36.0% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 36.3% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 36.6% | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 36.7% | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 37.0% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 36.8% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 37.0% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 37.5% | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 37.7% | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 36.2% | 35.5% | 37.0% | 9 |
| 2020s | 37.2% | 36.8% | 37.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
More health data for Africa Western and Central
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 2.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0237 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 2.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.24 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0277 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 2.27 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central?
- People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in Africa Western and Central was 37.7% 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 with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 37.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.5% in 2012.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 26th out of 31 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central 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 with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water, urban (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The percentage of people living in households that have a handwashing facility with soap and water available on the premises. Handwashing facilities may be fixed or mobile and include a sink with tap water, buckets with taps, tippy-taps, and jugs or basins designated for handwashing. Soap includes bar soap, liquid soap, powder detergent, and soapy water but does not include ash, soil, sand or other handwashing agents.