People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq
Iraq: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 305,136 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq, 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
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq is 305,136 people, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 77.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq peaked at 2.78 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 288,641 people, in 2020.
That places Iraq 72nd out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Iraq, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.78 million people | — |
| 2001 | 2.73 million people | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 2.67 million people | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 2.61 million people | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 2.53 million people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 2.45 million people | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 2.32 million people | -5.6% |
| 2007 | 2.15 million people | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 2.03 million people | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 1.95 million people | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 1.84 million people | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 1.73 million people | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 1.63 million people | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 1.52 million people | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 1.38 million people | -9.2% |
| 2015 | 1.22 million people | -11.6% |
| 2016 | 1.05 million people | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 866,974 people | -17.2% |
| 2018 | 681,053 people | -21.4% |
| 2019 | 488,139 people | -28.3% |
| 2020 | 288,641 people | -40.9% |
| 2021 | 292,891 people | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 297,248 people | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 301,417 people | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 305,136 people | +1.2% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 305,136 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 36,902 people, 8.3× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 305,136 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27,708 people, 11.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -40.9% | 488,139 people | 288,641 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.42 million people | 1.95 million people | 2.78 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.24 million people | 488,139 people | 1.84 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 297,067 people | 288,641 people | 305,136 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More reference data data for Iraq
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2116 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3911 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.235 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 13.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 30.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Iraq was 305,136 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 2.78 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 288,641 people in 2020.
- How does Iraq rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Iraq ranks 72nd out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 77.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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.