People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland
Switzerland: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 27,973 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland, 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
Switzerland recorded 27,973 people for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in 2024.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and down 76.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland peaked at 166,419 people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 27,393 people, in 2021.
Switzerland ranks 135th of 150 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 156,976 people | — |
| 2001 | 157,926 people | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 158,991 people | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 160,105 people | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 161,135 people | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 162,093 people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 163,029 people | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 164,404 people | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 166,419 people | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 163,885 people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 161,073 people | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 151,145 people | -6.2% |
| 2012 | 140,882 people | -6.8% |
| 2013 | 129,982 people | -7.7% |
| 2014 | 117,054 people | -9.9% |
| 2015 | 103,705 people | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 89,993 people | -13.2% |
| 2017 | 75,949 people | -15.6% |
| 2018 | 61,631 people | -18.9% |
| 2019 | 47,080 people | -23.6% |
| 2020 | 32,374 people | -31.2% |
| 2021 | 27,393 people | -15.4% |
| 2022 | 27,632 people | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 27,848 people | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 27,973 people | +0.5% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 27,973 people is below the median for high income countries, which is 481,577 people, 6% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 27,973 people is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 837,185 people, 3% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland 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 | -31.2% | 47,080 people | 32,374 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 161,496 people | 156,976 people | 166,419 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 107,849 people | 47,080 people | 161,073 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 28,644 people | 27,393 people | 32,374 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 132 Denmark 65,686 people compare
- 133 Greenland 55,990 people compare
- 134 Turks and Caicos Islands 30,754 people compare
- 136 American Samoa 26,687 people compare
- 137 Luxembourg 24,754 people compare
- 138 Isle of Man 12,774 people compare
More reference data data for Switzerland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5507 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2683 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.272 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Switzerland was 27,973 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 166,419 people in 2008.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 27,393 people in 2021.
- How does Switzerland rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- Switzerland ranks 135th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.