People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 12.94 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan, 2000–2024
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, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan stood at 12.94 million people.
That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan peaked at 14.21 million people in 2015 and was at its lowest, 12.21 million people, in 2000.
Afghanistan ranks 15th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 12.21 million people | — |
| 2001 | 12.29 million people | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 12.67 million people | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 13.18 million people | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 13.35 million people | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 13.50 million people | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 13.72 million people | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 13.63 million people | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 13.57 million people | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 13.71 million people | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 13.74 million people | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 13.87 million people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 14.03 million people | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 14.11 million people | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 14.20 million people | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 14.21 million people | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 14.12 million people | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 14.06 million people | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 14.00 million people | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 13.93 million people | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 13.87 million people | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 13.68 million people | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 13.35 million people | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 13.11 million people | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 12.94 million people | -1.3% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 12.94 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.27 million people, 2.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 12.94 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27,708 people, 466.8× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.18 million people | 12.21 million people | 13.72 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.03 million people | 13.74 million people | 14.21 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.39 million people | 12.94 million people | 13.87 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
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 in Afghanistan?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Afghanistan was 12.94 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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 14.21 million people in 2015.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.21 million people in 2000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Afghanistan ranks 15th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. 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 People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.