Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi
Malawi: Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services was 47.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi, 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 urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi is 47.3%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 62.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi peaked at 47.3% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 6.0%, in 2000.
Malawi ranks 52nd of 100 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.0% | — |
| 2001 | 6.0% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 6.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 6.0% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | +38.8% |
| 2006 | 10.7% | +27.9% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | +21.7% |
| 2008 | 15.4% | +17.8% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | +15.1% |
| 2010 | 20.0% | +13.1% |
| 2011 | 22.3% | +11.5% |
| 2012 | 24.6% | +10.3% |
| 2013 | 26.9% | +9.3% |
| 2014 | 29.2% | +8.5% |
| 2015 | 31.5% | +7.8% |
| 2016 | 33.8% | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 36.0% | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 38.3% | +6.3% |
| 2019 | 40.6% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 42.8% | +5.6% |
| 2021 | 45.1% | +5.2% |
| 2022 | 47.3% | +5.0% |
| 2023 | 47.3% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 47.3% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.5% | 6.0% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.3% | 20.0% | 40.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.9% | 42.8% | 47.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More population data for Malawi
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1183 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3622 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,159 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.45 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2289 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 627.29 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.85 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi?
- Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Malawi was 47.3% 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 urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 47.3% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.0% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services?
- Malawi ranks 52nd out of 100 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi 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 urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services. 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 using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.