Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in Malawi
Malawi: Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services was 49 % in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in Malawi, 2000–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
Malawi recorded 49 % for percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 53.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in Malawi peaked at 49 % in 2022 and was at its lowest, 9 %, in 2000.
That places Malawi 151st out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9 % | — |
| 2001 | 9 % | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 9 % | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 9 % | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9 % | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 12 % | +33.3% |
| 2006 | 14 % | +16.7% |
| 2007 | 16 % | +14.3% |
| 2008 | 18 % | +12.5% |
| 2009 | 21 % | +16.7% |
| 2010 | 23 % | +9.5% |
| 2011 | 25 % | +8.7% |
| 2012 | 27 % | +8.0% |
| 2013 | 30 % | +11.1% |
| 2014 | 32 % | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 34 % | +6.2% |
| 2016 | 36 % | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 38 % | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 41 % | +7.9% |
| 2019 | 43 % | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 45 % | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 47 % | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 49 % | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 49 % | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 49 % | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 49 % is above the median for low income countries, which is 30.5 %, 1.6× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 49 % is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 42.5 %, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.6 % | 9 % | 21 % | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.9 % | 23 % | 43 % | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.8 % | 45 % | 49 % | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More agriculture & rural data for Malawi
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 24.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3003 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 201.66 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 2.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.8241 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 30.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 30.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in Malawi?
- Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services in Malawi was 49 % in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 49 % in 2022.
- What is the lowest percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 9 % in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services?
- Malawi ranks 151st out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services (percent) — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The Suite of Food Security Indicators presents the core set of food security indicators. Following the recommendation of experts gathered in the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Round Table on hunger measurement, hosted at FAO headquarters in September 2011, an initial set of indicators aiming to capture various aspects of food insecurity is presented here. The choice of the indicators has been informed by expert judgement and the availability of data with sufficient coverage to enable comparisons across regions and over time. Many of these indicators are produced and published elsewhere by FAO and other international organizations. They are reported here in a single database with the aim of building a wide food security information system. More indicators will be added to this set as more data will become available. Indicators are classified along the four dimensions of food security -- availability, access, utilization and stability.