People not using improved sanitation facilities in India
India: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 97.69 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using improved sanitation facilities in India, 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 India is 97.69 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 26.2% on the previous year and down 79.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in India peaked at 843.09 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 97.69 million people, in 2024.
That places India 2nd out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 India, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 843.09 million people | — |
| 2001 | 824.46 million people | -2.2% |
| 2002 | 803.97 million people | -2.5% |
| 2003 | 782.02 million people | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 758.97 million people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 734.53 million people | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 708.78 million people | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 681.80 million people | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 653.57 million people | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 624.61 million people | -4.4% |
| 2010 | 594.90 million people | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 564.16 million people | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 532.33 million people | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 499.48 million people | -6.2% |
| 2014 | 465.49 million people | -6.8% |
| 2015 | 430.44 million people | -7.5% |
| 2016 | 394.68 million people | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 358.10 million people | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 320.62 million people | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 282.36 million people | -11.9% |
| 2020 | 245.06 million people | -13.2% |
| 2021 | 207.66 million people | -15.3% |
| 2022 | 170.01 million people | -18.1% |
| 2023 | 132.32 million people | -22.2% |
| 2024 | 97.69 million people | -26.2% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 97.69 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.57 million people, 62.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- India's 97.69 million people is above the median for South Asia, which is 329,541 people, 296.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 741.58 million people | 624.61 million people | 843.09 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 444.25 million people | 282.36 million people | 594.90 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 170.55 million people | 97.69 million people | 245.06 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in India?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in India was 97.69 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 843.09 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.69 million people in 2024.
- How does India rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- India ranks 2nd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 79.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.