People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland

Ireland: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 39,951 people in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
39,951 people
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
96th
of 175 countries
All-time high
42,877 people
in 2008
All-time low
39,951 people
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland, 2000–2024

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k2000201220242000: 40.6k people2001: 40.7k people2002: 40.8k people2003: 40.9k people2004: 41.0k people2005: 41.3k people2006: 41.9k people2007: 42.5k people2008: 42.9k people2009: 42.8k people2010: 42.5k people2011: 42.1k people2012: 41.7k people2013: 41.4k people2014: 41.2k people2015: 41.0k people2016: 40.9k people2017: 40.8k people2018: 40.7k people2019: 40.7k people2020: 40.4k people2021: 40.2k people2022: 40.2k people2023: 40.2k people2024: 40.0k people

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 Ireland stood at 39,951 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland peaked at 42,877 people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 39,951 people, in 2024.

That places Ireland 96th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland, year by year

Annual values for People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland, 2000 to 2024.
Year people Change
2000 40,550 people
2001 40,652 people +0.3%
2002 40,786 people +0.3%
2003 40,870 people +0.2%
2004 41,025 people +0.4%
2005 41,326 people +0.7%
2006 41,857 people +1.3%
2007 42,534 people +1.6%
2008 42,877 people +0.8%
2009 42,778 people -0.2%
2010 42,463 people -0.7%
2011 42,102 people -0.9%
2012 41,738 people -0.9%
2013 41,411 people -0.8%
2014 41,161 people -0.6%
2015 41,000 people -0.4%
2016 40,890 people -0.3%
2017 40,809 people -0.2%
2018 40,749 people -0.1%
2019 40,654 people -0.2%
2020 40,439 people -0.5%
2021 40,177 people -0.6%
2022 40,176 people -0.0%
2023 40,186 people +0.0%
2024 39,951 people -0.6%

Ireland compared with similar countries

  • Ireland's 39,951 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 9.56 people, 4177.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
  • Ireland's 39,951 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 327.89 people, 121.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 41,526 people 40,550 people 42,877 people 10
2010s 41,298 people 40,654 people 42,463 people 10
2020s 40,186 people 39,951 people 40,439 people 5

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 93 Azerbaijan 59,330 people compare
  2. 94 Lithuania 49,368 people compare
  3. 95 Tajikistan 41,064 people compare
  4. 97 Croatia 39,802 people compare
  5. 98 El Salvador 36,926 people compare
  6. 99 Cape Verde 36,878 people compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More reference data data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland?
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland was 39,951 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 Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 42,877 people in 2008.
What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 39,951 people in 2024.
How does Ireland rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
Ireland ranks 96th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Ireland 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.

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People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/rural-without-improved-sanitation/ireland/

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About this data

Indicator
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 4,269 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.