Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda
Rwanda: Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities was 18.5% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda, 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 with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda is 18.5%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 61.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda peaked at 18.5% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2000.
That places Rwanda 107th out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 0.0% | — |
| 2001 | 0.2% | — |
| 2002 | 0.8% | +289.6% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +53.2% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +37.7% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | +61.5% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | +38.1% |
| 2007 | 4.5% | +27.6% |
| 2008 | 5.5% | +21.6% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | +17.8% |
| 2010 | 7.5% | +15.1% |
| 2011 | 8.5% | +13.1% |
| 2012 | 9.5% | +11.6% |
| 2013 | 10.4% | +10.4% |
| 2014 | 11.4% | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 12.4% | +8.6% |
| 2016 | 13.4% | +8.0% |
| 2017 | 14.4% | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 15.4% | +6.9% |
| 2019 | 16.4% | +6.5% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | +6.1% |
| 2021 | 18.4% | +5.8% |
| 2022 | 18.4% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 18.4% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 18.5% | +0.1% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 18.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 19.4%, 95% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 18.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.2%, 83% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +289.6% | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| 2005 | +61.5% | 1.6% | 2.6% |
| 2003 | +53.2% | 0.8% | 1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.6% | 0.0% | 6.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.9% | 7.5% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.2% | 17.4% | 18.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 104 Guinea-Bissau 19.8% compare
- 105 Democratic Republic of Congo 19.4% compare
- 106 Sierra Leone 18.7% compare
- 108 Zambia 18.4% compare
- 109 Tanzania 17.5% compare
- 110 Togo 17.4% compare
More population data for Rwanda
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2755 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.5502 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2673 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.01 million people (2100)
- Population density 1,329 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4596 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.06 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda?
- Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Rwanda was 18.5% 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 population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 18.5% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2000.
- How does Rwanda rank for share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities?
- Rwanda ranks 107th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Rwanda 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 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.