| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |  Italy |
| Venue(s) | 4 (in 4 host cities) |
| Dates | 4–16 December |
| Teams | 24 (from 1 confederation) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Russia (1st title) |
| Runner-up |  Norway |
| Third place |  Yugoslavia |
| Fourth place |  Denmark |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 80 |
| Goals scored | 4,154 (51.93 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Ausra Fridrikas(87 goals) |
The 2001 World Women's Handball Championship, the 15th of its kind, was held from 4 to 16 December 2001, and was hosted by Italy, with the final being played in Merano.