People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Australia
Australia: People using at least basic sanitation facilities was 26.71 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Australia, 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
Australia recorded 26.71 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 1.0% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Australia peaked at 26.71 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 19.13 million people, in 2000.
Australia ranks 40th 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 Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.13 million people | — |
| 2001 | 19.36 million people | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 19.59 million people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 19.82 million people | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 20.05 million people | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 20.29 million people | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 20.59 million people | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 20.95 million people | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 21.37 million people | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 21.78 million people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 22.14 million people | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 22.48 million people | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 22.85 million people | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 23.24 million people | +1.7% |
| 2014 | 23.59 million people | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 23.95 million people | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 24.33 million people | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 24.73 million people | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 25.12 million people | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 25.48 million people | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 25.74 million people | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 25.96 million people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 26.20 million people | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 26.45 million people | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 26.71 million people | +1.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 26.71 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 3.05 million people, 8.8× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Australia's 26.71 million people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.02 million people, 26.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.29 million people | 19.13 million people | 21.78 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.79 million people | 22.14 million people | 25.48 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 26.21 million people | 25.74 million people | 26.71 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Australia?
- People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Australia was 26.71 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 Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.71 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.13 million people in 2000.
- How does Australia rank for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- Australia ranks 40th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic sanitation facilities rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Australia 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.