People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan
Pakistan: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 41.11 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan, 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
Pakistan recorded 41.11 million people for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024.
The figure is up 1.0% on the previous year and down 35.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan peaked at 82.17 million people in 2003 and was at its lowest, 40.28 million people, in 2022.
That places Pakistan 5th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 76.84 million people | — |
| 2001 | 78.79 million people | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 80.50 million people | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 82.17 million people | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 81.13 million people | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 79.96 million people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 78.68 million people | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 77.51 million people | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 76.27 million people | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 74.82 million people | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 73.22 million people | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 71.34 million people | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 69.13 million people | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 66.65 million people | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 64.00 million people | -4.0% |
| 2015 | 61.22 million people | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 58.31 million people | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 55.40 million people | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 52.52 million people | -5.2% |
| 2019 | 49.57 million people | -5.6% |
| 2020 | 46.58 million people | -6.0% |
| 2021 | 43.52 million people | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 40.28 million people | -7.4% |
| 2023 | 40.71 million people | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 41.11 million people | +1.0% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 41.11 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 million people, 26.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 41.11 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27,708 people, 1483.8× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 78.67 million people | 74.82 million people | 82.17 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.14 million people | 49.57 million people | 73.22 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.44 million people | 40.28 million people | 46.58 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More reference data data for Pakistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 91.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 260 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.79 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan was 41.11 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 82.17 million people in 2003.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.28 million people in 2022.
- How does Pakistan rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Pakistan ranks 5th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.