People without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: People without basic handwashing facilities was 20.50 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan, 2005–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan stood at 20.50 million people. That is the highest value across all 20 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 6.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan peaked at 20.50 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 15.78 million people, in 2005.
That places Afghanistan 19th out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 20 years of available data.
People without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 15.78 million people | — |
| 2006 | 16.42 million people | +4.0% |
| 2007 | 16.71 million people | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 17.06 million people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 17.67 million people | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 17.87 million people | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 18.21 million people | +1.9% |
| 2012 | 18.62 million people | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 18.92 million people | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 19.26 million people | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 19.50 million people | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 19.62 million people | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 19.79 million people | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 19.98 million people | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 20.18 million people | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 20.41 million people | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 20.47 million people | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 20.34 million people | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 20.35 million people | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.50 million people | +0.7% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 20.50 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 15.87 million people, 1.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 20.50 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 891,231 people, 23.0× the median. (15 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.73 million people | 15.78 million people | 17.67 million people | 5 |
| 2010s | 19.20 million people | 17.87 million people | 20.18 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.41 million people | 20.34 million people | 20.50 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 without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan?
- People without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan was 20.50 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 without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 20.50 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.78 million people in 2005.
- How does Afghanistan rank for people without basic handwashing facilities?
- Afghanistan ranks 19th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people without basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People without access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.