People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 92.14 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia, 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
Ethiopia recorded 92.14 million people for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia peaked at 92.14 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 56.80 million people, in 2000.
Ethiopia ranks 2nd 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 56.80 million people | — |
| 2001 | 58.24 million people | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 59.71 million people | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 61.21 million people | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 62.73 million people | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 64.26 million people | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 65.81 million people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 67.38 million people | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 68.81 million people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 70.23 million people | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 71.66 million people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 73.12 million people | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 74.57 million people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 75.99 million people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 77.39 million people | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 78.82 million people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 80.28 million people | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 81.77 million people | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 83.25 million people | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 84.74 million people | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 86.26 million people | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 87.76 million people | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 89.23 million people | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 90.69 million people | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 92.14 million people | +1.6% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 92.14 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.27 million people, 14.7× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 92.14 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 18.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 63.52 million people | 56.80 million people | 70.23 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.16 million people | 71.66 million people | 84.74 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.22 million people | 86.26 million people | 92.14 million people | 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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia was 92.14 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 92.14 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 56.80 million people in 2000.
- How does Ethiopia rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Ethiopia ranks 2nd out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 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.