People not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan
Bhutan: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 20,708 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan, 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
Bhutan recorded 20,708 people for people not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 38.7% on the previous year and down 86.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan peaked at 303,638 people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 20,708 people, in 2024.
That places Bhutan 123rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 299,657 people | — |
| 2001 | 303,638 people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 294,525 people | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 284,772 people | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 274,424 people | -3.6% |
| 2005 | 263,179 people | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 251,737 people | -4.3% |
| 2007 | 239,697 people | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 227,463 people | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 215,078 people | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 202,575 people | -5.8% |
| 2011 | 189,991 people | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 177,369 people | -6.6% |
| 2013 | 164,694 people | -7.1% |
| 2014 | 151,919 people | -7.8% |
| 2015 | 139,009 people | -8.5% |
| 2016 | 126,016 people | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 112,876 people | -10.4% |
| 2018 | 99,598 people | -11.8% |
| 2019 | 86,319 people | -13.3% |
| 2020 | 73,103 people | -15.3% |
| 2021 | 59,953 people | -18.0% |
| 2022 | 46,841 people | -21.9% |
| 2023 | 33,764 people | -27.9% |
| 2024 | 20,708 people | -38.7% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 20,708 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.57 million people, 1% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 20,708 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 329,541 people, 6% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -38.7% | 33,764 people | 20,708 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 265,417 people | 215,078 people | 303,638 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 145,037 people | 86,319 people | 202,575 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 46,874 people | 20,708 people | 73,103 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 120 United Arab Emirates 22,977 people compare
- 121 Greenland 20,996 people compare
- 122 Belarus 20,975 people compare
- 124 Trinidad and Tobago 20,081 people compare
- 125 French Guiana 18,106 people compare
- 126 Slovenia 17,113 people compare
More reference data data for Bhutan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0217 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0671 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0727 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0153 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3489 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5881 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0909 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan was 20,708 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 303,638 people in 2001.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,708 people in 2024.
- How does Bhutan rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Bhutan ranks 123rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 86.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.