Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Mauritania
Mauritania: Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas was 57.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Mauritania, 2009–2024
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 Mauritania is 57.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Mauritania peaked at 68.6% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 57.6%, in 2023.
Mauritania ranks 71st of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 68.6% | — |
| 2010 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 68.6% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 67.5% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 66.4% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 64.2% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 63.1% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 62.0% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 60.9% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 59.8% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 58.7% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 57.6% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 57.6% | +0.0% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 57.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 62.4%, 92% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 57.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.3%, 1.7× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 68.6% | 68.6% | 68.6% | 1 |
| 2010s | 66.3% | 62.0% | 68.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.9% | 57.6% | 60.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More reference data data for Mauritania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0975 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0216 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.327 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1337 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1178 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Mauritania?
- Access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas in Mauritania was 57.6% 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 68.6% in 2009.
- What is the lowest access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.6% in 2023.
- How does Mauritania rank for access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas?
- Mauritania ranks 71st out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to basic handwashing facilities in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.
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CSV · JSON — 16 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.