People using at least basic sanitation facilities in China
China: People using at least basic sanitation facilities was 1.40 billion people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in China, 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
China recorded 1.40 billion people for people using at least basic sanitation facilities in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 19.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in China peaked at 1.41 billion people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 734.07 million people, in 2000.
That places China 1st out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 734.07 million people | — |
| 2001 | 749.06 million people | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 781.98 million people | +4.4% |
| 2003 | 814.59 million people | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 847.12 million people | +4.0% |
| 2005 | 879.78 million people | +3.9% |
| 2006 | 912.29 million people | +3.7% |
| 2007 | 944.46 million people | +3.5% |
| 2008 | 976.70 million people | +3.4% |
| 2009 | 1.01 billion people | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 1.04 billion people | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 1.07 billion people | +3.1% |
| 2012 | 1.11 billion people | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 1.14 billion people | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 1.17 billion people | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 1.20 billion people | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 1.23 billion people | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 1.26 billion people | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 1.29 billion people | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 1.32 billion people | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 1.35 billion people | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 1.37 billion people | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 1.39 billion people | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.41 billion people | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 1.40 billion people | -0.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.40 billion people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.56 million people, 213.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 1.40 billion people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.02 million people, 1373.6× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 864.94 million people | 734.07 million people | 1.01 billion people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.19 billion people | 1.04 billion people | 1.32 billion people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.38 billion people | 1.35 billion people | 1.41 billion people | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic sanitation facilities in China?
- People using at least basic sanitation facilities in China was 1.40 billion 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.41 billion people in 2023.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 734.07 million people in 2000.
- How does China rank for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- China ranks 1st out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic sanitation facilities rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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.