Total waste generation in Tanzania
Tanzania: Total waste generation was 1.87 million tonnes in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Total waste generation in Tanzania, 2004–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes.
Analysis
In 2023, total waste generation in Tanzania stood at 1.87 million tonnes. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 5,322.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total waste generation in Tanzania peaked at 1.87 million tonnes in 2023 and was at its lowest, 26,040 tonnes, in 2008.
That places Tanzania 12th out of 62 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Total waste generation in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | tonnes | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 32,440 tonnes | — |
| 2005 | 31,440 tonnes | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 30,820 tonnes | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 30,420 tonnes | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 26,040 tonnes | -14.4% |
| 2009 | 32,550 tonnes | +25.0% |
| 2010 | 37,560 tonnes | +15.4% |
| 2011 | 33,750 tonnes | -10.1% |
| 2012 | 31,740 tonnes | -6.0% |
| 2013 | 34,540 tonnes | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 35,840 tonnes | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 41,740 tonnes | +16.5% |
| 2017 | 167,000 tonnes | +300.1% |
| 2018 | 173,000 tonnes | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 179,000 tonnes | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 185,000 tonnes | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 1.81 million tonnes | +878.4% |
| 2022 | 1.84 million tonnes | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.87 million tonnes | +2.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 1.87 million tonnes is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.87 million tonnes, 1.0× the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Total waste generation in Tanzania changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +878.4% | 185,000 tonnes | 1.81 million tonnes |
| 2017 | +300.1% | 41,740 tonnes | 167,000 tonnes |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30,618 tonnes | 26,040 tonnes | 32,550 tonnes | 6 |
| 2010s | 81,574 tonnes | 31,740 tonnes | 179,000 tonnes | 9 |
| 2020s | 1.43 million tonnes | 185,000 tonnes | 1.87 million tonnes | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More environment data for Tanzania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 5.16 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total waste generation in Tanzania?
- Total waste generation in Tanzania was 1.87 million tonnes in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest total waste generation recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 1.87 million tonnes in 2023.
- What is the lowest total waste generation recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 26,040 tonnes in 2008.
- How does Tanzania rank for total waste generation?
- Tanzania ranks 12th out of 62 countries with data for 2023.
- Is total waste generation rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5,322.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division and United Nations Environment Programme – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Total waste generation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total waste generation, by activity (Tonnes).