Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Tanzania
Tanzania: Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas was 85.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Tanzania, 1992–2024
Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2024, access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Tanzania stood at 85.2%. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 59.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Tanzania peaked at 85.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 22.3%, in 1993.
That places Tanzania 186th out of 212 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.1% | 22.3% | 35.5% | 8 |
| 2000s | 38.9% | 32.7% | 44.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.9% | 42.9% | 73.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 78.5% | 72.9% | 85.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More energy & mining data for Tanzania
- Fuel imports 19.9% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 1.5% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 5.6% (2024)
- Gas production 21.59 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 314.84 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 21.59 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 314.84 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel exports 2.2% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 16.8% (2023)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 70.9% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Tanzania?
- Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in Tanzania was 85.2% in 2024, according to SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 85.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.3% in 1993.
- How does Tanzania rank for access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas?
- Tanzania ranks 186th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 59.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania data come from?
- The figures come from SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 33 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The definition used in international statistics adopts a very low cutoff for what it means to ‘have access to electricity’. It is defined as having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.