Population living in slums — all countries

Population living in slums — Southern Africa

Population living in slums in Southern Africa in 2022 — 25.3%. Since 2000, the indicator has fallen by 4.3 pp.

2022 25.3% +0.1 pp vs 2020
World rank —
Period maximum 29.6%2000
Period minimum 25.2%2020

Trend over time

2000–2022 · % of urban population

Population living in slums — Southern Africa, 2000–202224262830200020032006200920122015201820212000: 29.6%2002: 29.2%2004: 28.8%2006: 28.2%2008: 27.8%2010: 27.3%2012: 26.8%2014: 26.3%2016: 25.8%2018: 25.3%2020: 25.2%2022: 25.3%
Change over the period: −4.3 pp Annual average: -0.19 pp

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Southern Africa

Southern Africa 25.3%
World 23.2%
Population living in slums — Southern Africa, by year Southern Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2022 25.3 —
2020 25.2 —
2018 25.3 —
2016 25.8 —
2014 26.3 —
2012 26.8 —
2010 27.3 —
2008 27.8 —
2006 28.2 —
2004 28.8 —
2002 29.2 —
2000 29.6 —

About the indicator

The share of the urban population living in slums, as defined by the UN Human Settlements Programme. A household counts as a slum household if it lacks at least one of five things: access to clean water, access to sanitation, sufficient living space, durable housing, or protection against forced eviction. The definition works through deprivations rather than appearance — which is why solidly built neighborhoods without sewerage are counted as slums too.

Important: The aggregate for groups of countries is weighted by urban population rather than by the whole population: the indicator is calculated against the urban population. The data are collected irregularly, so the years are patchy.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.