People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in China
China: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 449.06 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in China, 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 not using safely managed sanitation facilities in China is 449.06 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 40.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in China peaked at 1.12 billion people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 449.06 million people, in 2024.
That places China 2nd out of 150 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.05 billion people | 939.30 million people | 1.12 billion people | 10 |
| 2010s | 730.78 million people | 531.85 million people | 906.71 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 477.54 million people | 449.06 million people | 513.08 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More reference data data for China
- Spring temperature anomalies 1.66 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.0991 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 1.15 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 0 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 1.34 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 2.06 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 132.6 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in China?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in China was 449.06 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 not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 1.12 billion people in 2001.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 449.06 million people in 2024.
- How does China rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- China ranks 2nd out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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 not using safely managed 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
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.