People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: People using at least basic sanitation facilities was 23.24 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Afghanistan, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 23.24 million people for people using at least basic sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.6% on the previous year and up 74.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Afghanistan peaked at 23.24 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.49 million people, in 2000.
Afghanistan ranks 45th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.49 million people | — |
| 2001 | 4.53 million people | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 5.07 million people | +12.1% |
| 2003 | 5.72 million people | +12.7% |
| 2004 | 6.27 million people | +9.5% |
| 2005 | 6.84 million people | +9.2% |
| 2006 | 7.49 million people | +9.5% |
| 2007 | 8.00 million people | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 8.55 million people | +6.8% |
| 2009 | 9.25 million people | +8.2% |
| 2010 | 9.92 million people | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 10.70 million people | +7.9% |
| 2012 | 11.56 million people | +8.1% |
| 2013 | 12.40 million people | +7.3% |
| 2014 | 13.32 million people | +7.4% |
| 2015 | 14.21 million people | +6.7% |
| 2016 | 15.05 million people | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 15.97 million people | +6.1% |
| 2018 | 16.95 million people | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 17.99 million people | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 19.11 million people | +6.2% |
| 2021 | 20.12 million people | +5.3% |
| 2022 | 20.98 million people | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 22.01 million people | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 23.24 million people | +5.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 23.24 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 8.45 million people, 2.8× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 23.24 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 11.14 million people, 2.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.62 million people | 4.49 million people | 9.25 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.81 million people | 9.92 million people | 17.99 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.09 million people | 19.11 million people | 23.24 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More reference data data for Afghanistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8991 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4362 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 6.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 18.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 26.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.38 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Afghanistan?
- People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Afghanistan was 23.24 million people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 23.24 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.49 million people in 2000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- Afghanistan ranks 45th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic sanitation facilities rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 74.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People using at least basic sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households.