People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India
India: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 43.14 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India stood at 43.14 people per square kilometre. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 19.3% on the previous year and down 70.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India peaked at 251.41 people per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 43.14 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places India 13th out of 171 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 251.41 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 245.64 people per square kilometre | -2.3% |
| 2002 | 239.25 people per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 232.44 people per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 225.33 people per square kilometre | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 217.84 people per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 210 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 201.82 people per square kilometre | -3.9% |
| 2008 | 193.31 people per square kilometre | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 184.63 people per square kilometre | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 175.77 people per square kilometre | -4.8% |
| 2011 | 166.65 people per square kilometre | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 157.24 people per square kilometre | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 147.58 people per square kilometre | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 137.62 people per square kilometre | -6.7% |
| 2015 | 127.4 people per square kilometre | -7.4% |
| 2016 | 117.03 people per square kilometre | -8.1% |
| 2017 | 106.47 people per square kilometre | -9.0% |
| 2018 | 95.71 people per square kilometre | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 84.79 people per square kilometre | -11.4% |
| 2020 | 74.29 people per square kilometre | -12.4% |
| 2021 | 63.87 people per square kilometre | -14.0% |
| 2022 | 53.46 people per square kilometre | -16.3% |
| 2023 | 43.14 people per square kilometre | -19.3% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 43.14 people per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.83 people per square kilometre, 3.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 43.14 people per square kilometre is above the median for South Asia, which is 7.61 people per square kilometre, 5.7× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 220.17 people per square kilometre | 184.63 people per square kilometre | 251.41 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 131.63 people per square kilometre | 84.79 people per square kilometre | 175.77 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.69 people per square kilometre | 43.14 people per square kilometre | 74.29 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 10 Pakistan 52.81 people per square kilometre compare
- 11 Malawi 48.71 people per square kilometre compare
- 12 Benin 47.65 people per square kilometre compare
- 14 Sierra Leone 39.91 people per square kilometre compare
- 15 Kiribati 36.71 people per square kilometre compare
- 16 Sao Tome and Principe 31.85 people per square kilometre compare
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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in India was 43.14 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 251.41 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.14 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does India rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- India ranks 13th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.