Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Rural population without basic handwashing facilities was 15.86 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Rural population 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, rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan stood at 15.86 million people.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan peaked at 16.52 million people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13.90 million people, in 2005.
That places Afghanistan 15th out of 113 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.
Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 13.90 million people | — |
| 2006 | 14.44 million people | +3.9% |
| 2007 | 14.68 million people | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 14.96 million people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 15.48 million people | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 15.57 million people | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 15.78 million people | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 16.03 million people | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 16.18 million people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 16.36 million people | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 16.45 million people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 16.43 million people | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 16.45 million people | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 16.47 million people | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 16.48 million people | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 16.52 million people | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 16.40 million people | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 16.12 million people | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 15.94 million people | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 15.86 million people | -0.5% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 15.86 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 11.31 million people, 1.4× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 15.86 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.01 million people, 7.9× the median. (11 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.69 million people | 13.90 million people | 15.48 million people | 5 |
| 2010s | 16.22 million people | 15.57 million people | 16.48 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.17 million people | 15.86 million people | 16.52 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 12 Mozambique 18.94 million people compare
- 13 Niger 17.94 million people compare
- 14 Madagascar 15.94 million people compare
- 16 Malawi 15.42 million people compare
- 17 South Africa 14.34 million people compare
- 18 Cote d'Ivoire 13.15 million people 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 rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan?
- Rural population without basic handwashing facilities in Afghanistan was 15.86 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 rural population without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 16.52 million people in 2020.
- What is the lowest rural population without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.90 million people in 2005.
- How does Afghanistan rank for rural population without basic handwashing facilities?
- Afghanistan ranks 15th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is rural population without basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. 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 Rural population 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.