Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Malawi
Malawi: Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population was 41.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population 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 using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Malawi is 41.2%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 32.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Malawi peaked at 41.2% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 18.2%, in 2004.
Malawi ranks 80th of 124 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.4% | — |
| 2001 | 18.4% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 18.3% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 18.3% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 18.2% | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 19.5% | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 20.8% | +6.7% |
| 2007 | 22.1% | +6.3% |
| 2008 | 23.4% | +5.9% |
| 2009 | 24.7% | +5.5% |
| 2010 | 26.0% | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 27.3% | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 28.6% | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 29.9% | +4.5% |
| 2014 | 31.1% | +4.3% |
| 2015 | 32.4% | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 33.7% | +3.9% |
| 2017 | 34.9% | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 36.2% | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 37.4% | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 38.7% | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 39.9% | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 41.2% | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 41.2% | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 41.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 24.6%, 1.7× the median. (17 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 41.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.1%, 1.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.2% | 18.2% | 24.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.8% | 26.0% | 37.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 40.4% | 38.7% | 41.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More population data for Malawi
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3622 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.85 million people (2100)
- Population density 627.29 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2289 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.45 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Malawi?
- Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Malawi was 41.2% 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 using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 41.2% in 2022.
- What is the lowest using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.2% in 2004.
- How does Malawi rank for using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population?
- Malawi ranks 80th out of 124 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population. 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.