Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa

Southern Africa: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water was 67.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
67.2%
Change on year
down 0.6%
Rank
21st
of 28 groups
All-time high
67.9%
in 2022
All-time low
59.8%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 59.82001: 60.32002: 61.12003: 622004: 62.82005: 63.72006: 64.22007: 64.62008: 652009: 65.32010: 65.62011: 65.92012: 66.22013: 66.52014: 66.72015: 672016: 67.12017: 67.32018: 67.52019: 67.62020: 67.72021: 67.82022: 67.92023: 67.62024: 67.2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Southern Africa recorded 67.2% for proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in 2024.

That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa peaked at 67.9% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 59.8%, in 2000.

That places Southern Africa 21st out of 28 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, by urban/rural (%) in Southern Africa, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 59.8%
2001 60.3% +0.9%
2002 61.1% +1.4%
2003 62.0% +1.4%
2004 62.8% +1.4%
2005 63.7% +1.4%
2006 64.2% +0.9%
2007 64.6% +0.6%
2008 65.0% +0.6%
2009 65.3% +0.5%
2010 65.6% +0.5%
2011 65.9% +0.5%
2012 66.2% +0.4%
2013 66.5% +0.4%
2014 66.7% +0.4%
2015 67.0% +0.4%
2016 67.1% +0.3%
2017 67.3% +0.3%
2018 67.5% +0.3%
2019 67.6% +0.2%
2020 67.7% +0.1%
2021 67.8% +0.1%
2022 67.9% +0.1%
2023 67.6% -0.4%
2024 67.2% -0.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 62.9% 59.8% 65.3% 10
2010s 66.8% 65.6% 67.6% 10
2020s 67.6% 67.2% 67.9% 5

Countries ranked near Southern Africa

  1. 18 Sweden 99.8% compare
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  5. 22 Finland 99.6% compare
  6. 23 Slovenia 99.6% compare
  7. 24 Slovakia 99.6% compare

See the full ranking of 194 places →

More environment data for Southern Africa

All data for Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa?
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa was 67.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population using safely managed drinking water recorded in Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 67.9% in 2022.
What is the lowest proportion of population using safely managed drinking water recorded in Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 59.8% in 2000.
How does Southern Africa rank for proportion of population using safely managed drinking water?
Southern Africa ranks 21st out of 28 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population using safely managed drinking water rising or falling in Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, by urban/rural (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water in Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-using-safely-managed-drinking-water-services-by-urban-rural/southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services, by urban/rural (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
194 places, 4,761 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed