People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania
Tanzania: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 28.10 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania is 28.10 million people, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania peaked at 28.39 million people in 2018 and was at its lowest, 26.55 million people, in 2000.
Tanzania ranks 6th 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 26.55 million people | — |
| 2001 | 26.77 million people | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 26.95 million people | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 27.08 million people | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 27.20 million people | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 27.32 million people | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 27.44 million people | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 27.55 million people | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 27.61 million people | +0.2% |
| 2009 | 27.61 million people | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 27.60 million people | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 27.66 million people | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 27.72 million people | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 27.81 million people | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 27.91 million people | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 28.04 million people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 28.20 million people | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 28.32 million people | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 28.39 million people | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 28.38 million people | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 28.37 million people | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 28.34 million people | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 28.29 million people | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 28.20 million people | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 28.10 million people | -0.4% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 28.10 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 million people, 18.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 28.10 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 5.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.21 million people | 26.55 million people | 27.61 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.00 million people | 27.60 million people | 28.39 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.26 million people | 28.10 million people | 28.37 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More reference data data for Tanzania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 59.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 72.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania was 28.10 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 28.39 million people in 2018.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 26.55 million people in 2000.
- How does Tanzania rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Tanzania ranks 6th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.