Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas was 14.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia, 2010–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia is 14.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.3% on the previous year and down 40.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia peaked at 23.5% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 14.0%, in 2024.
Ethiopia ranks 111th of 113 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 23.5% | — |
| 2011 | 23.5% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 23.5% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 23.5% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 22.6% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 21.6% | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 20.7% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 18.8% | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 17.8% | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 16.9% | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 15.9% | -5.6% |
| 2023 | 15.0% | -5.9% |
| 2024 | 14.0% | -6.3% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 14.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 28.7%, 49% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 14.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.3%, 42% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 22.1% | 18.8% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.9% | 14.0% | 17.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia?
- Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia was 14.0% 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 access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.5% in 2010.
- What is the lowest access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.0% in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas?
- Ethiopia ranks 111th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.