Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Zambia
Zambia: Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities was 18.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Zambia, 2008–2024
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 Zambia is 18.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Zambia peaked at 18.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 16.7%, in 2008.
Zambia ranks 108th of 120 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.8% | 16.7% | 16.8% | 2 |
| 2010s | 17.4% | 16.9% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.2% | 17.9% | 18.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More population data for Zambia
- World population growth 0.5% (2100)
- Population density 86.73 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.60 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.5% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.04 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.04 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 79,275 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.04 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 4.1 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 3.82 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Zambia?
- Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Zambia was 18.4% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 18.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.7% in 2008.
- How does Zambia rank for share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities?
- Zambia ranks 108th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. 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 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.
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About this data
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.