People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan
Bhutan: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 8,412 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan, 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
Bhutan recorded 8,412 people for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 57.7% on the previous year and down 93.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan peaked at 278,470 people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 8,412 people, in 2024.
Bhutan ranks 121st of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 276,050 people | — |
| 2001 | 278,470 people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 268,643 people | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 258,233 people | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 247,288 people | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 235,604 people | -4.7% |
| 2006 | 224,235 people | -4.8% |
| 2007 | 212,370 people | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 200,374 people | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 188,292 people | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 176,156 people | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 164,001 people | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 151,882 people | -7.4% |
| 2013 | 139,790 people | -8.0% |
| 2014 | 127,688 people | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 115,548 people | -9.5% |
| 2016 | 103,418 people | -10.5% |
| 2017 | 91,250 people | -11.8% |
| 2018 | 79,058 people | -13.4% |
| 2019 | 66,955 people | -15.3% |
| 2020 | 54,993 people | -17.9% |
| 2021 | 43,173 people | -21.5% |
| 2022 | 31,473 people | -27.1% |
| 2023 | 19,888 people | -36.8% |
| 2024 | 8,412 people | -57.7% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 8,412 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 million people, 1% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 8,412 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 217,606 people, 4% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -57.7% | 19,888 people | 8,412 people |
| 2023 | -36.8% | 31,473 people | 19,888 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 238,956 people | 188,292 people | 278,470 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 121,575 people | 66,955 people | 176,156 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 31,588 people | 8,412 people | 54,993 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More reference data data for Bhutan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0217 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0671 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0167 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1192 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0727 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0153 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.3489 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5881 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0909 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Bhutan was 8,412 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 278,470 people in 2001.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 8,412 people in 2024.
- How does Bhutan rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Bhutan ranks 121st out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 93.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.