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Southern Africa · Africa

South Africa

In 2020 an estimated 54,041,640 people lived here, 76% of them in urban areas.

2000·2010···2020·2025
Population041.2M urban · 12.9M rural
Water · at least basic80.0%Safely managed 58.8%
Sanitation · at least basic74.4%Open defecation 7.5%
Hygiene · basic66.4%No facility 19.5%

Water ladder

South Africa · 2020 · National

58.8%
21.2%
8.0%
7.5%
4.6%

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Sanitation ladder

South Africa · 2020 · National

52.4%
22.0%
9.0%
9.1%
7.5%

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Hygiene ladder

South Africa · 2020 · National

66.4%
14.1%
19.5%

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Urban vs rural profile
Water SMWater basicSan. SMSan. basicHygiene basicUrban · Water SM: 65.1Urban · Water basic: 18.4Urban · San. SM: 59.4Urban · San. basic: 19.4Urban · Hygiene basic: 71.8Rural · Water SM: 38.7Rural · Water basic: 28.3Rural · San. SM: 31.5Rural · San. basic: 28.2Rural · Hygiene basic: 48.1
  • Urban
  • Rural

Radar of five headline indicators.

Trend 2000–2025
0255075100200020052010201220152018202020222025Water · 2000: 70.5%Water · 2005: 74.5%Water · 2010: 75.4%Water · 2012: 77.5%Water · 2015: 78%Water · 2018: 78.6%Water · 2020: 80%Water · 2022: 81.9%Water · 2025: 81.9%Sanitation · 2000: 63.6%Sanitation · 2005: 68%Sanitation · 2010: 69.1%Sanitation · 2012: 71.5%Sanitation · 2015: 72.2%Sanitation · 2018: 72.8%Sanitation · 2020: 74.4%Sanitation · 2022: 76.80000000000001%Sanitation · 2025: 76.80000000000001%Hygiene · 2000: 52.8%Hygiene · 2005: 58.4%Hygiene · 2010: 59.8%Hygiene · 2012: 62.7%Hygiene · 2015: 63.5%Hygiene · 2018: 64.4%Hygiene · 2020: 66.4%Hygiene · 2022: 69.4%Hygiene · 2025: 69.3%
  • Water
  • Sanitation
  • Hygiene

At least basic service, national.

Water service composition
National · Safely Managed: 58.8National · Basic: 21.2National · Limited: 8National · Unimproved: 7.5National · Surface Water: 4.6NationalUrban · Safely Managed: 65.1Urban · Basic: 18.4Urban · Limited: 6.6Urban · Unimproved: 6.1Urban · Surface Water: 3.8UrbanRural · Safely Managed: 38.7Rural · Basic: 28.3Rural · Limited: 13.2Rural · Unimproved: 12.3Rural · Surface Water: 7.5Rural
  • Safely Managed
  • Basic
  • Limited
  • Unimproved
  • Surface Water

100% stacked, national vs urban vs rural.

Sanitation service composition
National · Safely Managed: 52.4National · Basic: 22National · Limited: 9National · Unimproved: 9.1National · Open Defecation: 7.5NationalUrban · Safely Managed: 59.4Urban · Basic: 19.4Urban · Limited: 7.4Urban · Unimproved: 7.6Urban · Open Defecation: 6.2UrbanRural · Safely Managed: 31.5Rural · Basic: 28.2Rural · Limited: 14.1Rural · Unimproved: 14.4Rural · Open Defecation: 11.8Rural
  • Safely Managed
  • Basic
  • Limited
  • Unimproved
  • Open Defecation

100% stacked, national vs urban vs rural.

58.8%Water safely managed
Hygiene composition
Basic: 66.4Limited: 14.1No Facility: 19.5
66.4%
  • Basic
  • Limited
  • No Facility
Population, 100 people

Water service levels as 100 cells.

Regional comparison · Southern Africa
620

At least basic water, national.

Before / after
20002020Water 2721Sanitation 2722Hygiene 5366

2000 vs selected year, headline indicators.

Urban / rural by category
019395878Water SM · Urban: 65.1%Water SM · Rural: 38.7%Water SM · National: 58.8%Water SMWater basic · Urban: 18.4%Water basic · Rural: 28.3%Water basic · National: 21.2%Water basicSan. SM · Urban: 59.4%San. SM · Rural: 31.5%San. SM · National: 52.4%San. SMSan. basic · Urban: 19.4%San. basic · Rural: 28.2%San. basic · National: 22%San. basicHygiene basic · Urban: 71.8%Hygiene basic · Rural: 48.1%Hygiene basic · National: 66.4%Hygiene basic
  • Urban
  • Rural
  • National

Grouped bars, selected year.

Country rank · at least basic water

#28 of 48

South Africa · all records

nameyearpop_npop_upop_rwat_sm_nwat_sm_uwat_sm_rwat_bas_nwat_bas_uwat_bas_rwat_lim_nwat_lim_uwat_lim_rwat_unim_nwat_unim_uwat_unim_rwat_sur_nwat_sur_uwat_sur_r
South Africa200044,900,00025,593,00019,307,00043.751.924.826.823.931.511.89.717.511916.36.75.510
South Africa200547,185,41029,160,58318,024,82749.857.330.324.721.830.410.28.415.79.57.814.65.84.89
South Africa201049,470,82032,947,56616,523,25451.358.631.724.121.230.19.88.115.39.17.514.25.64.68.7
South Africa201250,384,98434,523,79115,861,19354.661.534.822.92029.497.414.38.46.913.35.14.28.2
South Africa201551,756,23036,953,94814,802,28255.562.335.622.519.729.28.87.214.18.26.713.154.18
South Africa201853,127,47639,463,08913,664,38756.563.136.522.119.328.98.6713.886.512.94.947.9
South Africa202054,041,64041,179,73012,861,91058.865.138.721.218.428.386.613.27.56.112.34.63.87.5
South Africa202254,955,80442,931,47412,024,33062.268.14219.717.127.37.25.912.36.75.511.44.13.47
South Africa202556,327,05045,624,91110,702,13962.268.14219.717.127.37.25.912.36.75.511.44.13.47

Column names are the raw dataset fields. Demo data