North Korea vs East Timor: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities
North Korea
14.5%
in 2023
East Timor
12.6%
in 2024
North Korea rank
54th
East Timor rank
56th
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities over time
- North Korea
- East Timor
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 14.5% against 12.6% in East Timor, a difference of 1.9%.
That makes North Korea's figure about 1.2 times East Timor's.
Across all 22 years both countries report, East Timor has been ahead every year.
North Korea ranks 54th and East Timor ranks 56th of 232 countries.
East Timor has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | East Timor | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.2% | 66.7% | 47.4% | East Timor |
| 2010s | 16.4% | 39.9% | 23.5% | East Timor |
| 2020s | 14.6% | 19.7% | 5.0% | East Timor |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of population not using improved sanitation facilities, North Korea or East Timor?
- North Korea, at 14.5% against 12.6% in East Timor as of 2023.
- What is the difference in share of population not using improved sanitation facilities between North Korea and East Timor?
- 1.9%, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and East Timor?
- 22 years are reported by both, from 2002 to 2023.
- How do North Korea and East Timor rank globally for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- North Korea ranks 54th and East Timor ranks 56th of 232 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of population 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.