Access to handwashing facilities in South Africa
South Africa: Access to handwashing facilities was 44.4% in 2020. ▬ Flat
Access to handwashing facilities in South Africa, 2015–2020
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 44.4% for access to handwashing facilities in 2020. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
That places South Africa 73rd out of 113 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Access to handwashing facilities in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 43.7% | — |
| 2016 | 43.9% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 44.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 44.1% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 44.2% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 44.4% | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 44.0% | 43.7% | 44.2% | 5 |
| 2020s | 44.4% | 44.4% | 44.4% | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More population data for South Africa
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1847 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.7997 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.2264 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 5.55 million people (2100)
- Population density 77.75 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0148 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8824 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to handwashing facilities in South Africa?
- Access to handwashing facilities in South Africa was 44.4% in 2020, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest access to handwashing facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 44.4% in 2020.
- What is the lowest access to handwashing facilities recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.7% in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for access to handwashing facilities?
- South Africa ranks 73rd out of 113 countries with data for 2020.
- Is access to handwashing facilities rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa 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 Access to handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 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.