People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 20.1 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan is 20.1 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 1.8% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan peaked at 21.78 people per square kilometre in 2015 and was at its lowest, 18.72 people per square kilometre, in 2000.
That places Afghanistan 29th out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.72 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 18.84 people per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 19.43 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 20.21 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 20.47 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 20.69 people per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 21.03 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 20.89 people per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 20.81 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 21.02 people per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 21.07 people per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 21.26 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 21.52 people per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 21.63 people per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 21.77 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 21.78 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 21.65 people per square kilometre | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 21.55 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 21.46 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 21.36 people per square kilometre | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 21.26 people per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 20.97 people per square kilometre | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 20.47 people per square kilometre | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 20.1 people per square kilometre | -1.8% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 20.1 people per square kilometre is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.87 people per square kilometre, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 20.1 people per square kilometre is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.4302 people per square kilometre, 46.7× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.21 people per square kilometre | 18.72 people per square kilometre | 21.03 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.5 people per square kilometre | 21.07 people per square kilometre | 21.78 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.7 people per square kilometre | 20.1 people per square kilometre | 21.26 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 26 Yemen 22.43 people per square kilometre compare
- 27 North Korea 21.75 people per square kilometre compare
- 28 Guinea 21.48 people per square kilometre compare
- 30 Mozambique 19.87 people per square kilometre compare
- 31 Liberia 19.83 people per square kilometre compare
- 32 Democratic Republic of Congo 19.49 people per square kilometre compare
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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Afghanistan was 20.1 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 21.78 people per square kilometre in 2015.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.72 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- Afghanistan ranks 29th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.