Brazil vs China: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities
Brazil
8.17 million people
in 2024
China
12.25 million people
in 2024
Brazil rank
19th
China rank
16th
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities over time
- Brazil
- China
How they compare
China currently reports 12.25 million people against 8.17 million people in Brazil, a difference of 4.08 million people.
That makes China's figure about 1.5 times Brazil's.
Across all 25 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
Brazil ranks 19th and China ranks 16th of 175 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Brazil | China | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.07 million people | 345.48 million people | 327.41 million people | China |
| 2010s | 12.78 million people | 141.92 million people | 129.14 million people | China |
| 2020s | 9.09 million people | 28.04 million people | 18.94 million people | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, Brazil or China?
- China, at 12.25 million people against 8.17 million people in Brazil as of 2024.
- What is the difference in people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities between Brazil and China?
- 4.08 million people, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Brazil and China?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do Brazil and China rank globally for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Brazil ranks 19th and China ranks 16th of 175 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) β processed by Our World in Data, published as People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.