People not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 13.39 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using improved 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
The most recent figure for people not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan is 13.39 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.9% on the previous year and down 17.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan peaked at 16.27 million people in 2014 and was at its lowest, 13.39 million people, in 2024.
Afghanistan ranks 18th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.61 million people | — |
| 2001 | 14.71 million people | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 15.14 million people | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 15.70 million people | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 15.87 million people | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 16.00 million people | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 16.22 million people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 16.08 million people | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 15.96 million people | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 16.07 million people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 16.05 million people | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 16.13 million people | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 16.25 million people | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 16.25 million people | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 16.27 million people | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 16.18 million people | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 15.97 million people | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 15.79 million people | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 15.59 million people | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 15.37 million people | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 15.15 million people | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 14.78 million people | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 14.25 million people | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 13.79 million people | -3.2% |
| 2024 | 13.39 million people | -2.9% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 13.39 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 7.92 million people, 1.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 13.39 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 75,900 people, 176.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.64 million people | 14.61 million people | 16.22 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.98 million people | 15.37 million people | 16.27 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.27 million people | 13.39 million people | 15.15 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 not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan was 13.39 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 not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 16.27 million people in 2014.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.39 million people in 2024.
- How does Afghanistan rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Afghanistan ranks 18th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- 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 not using improved 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
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.