Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China
China: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 0 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0 people
World rank
105th
of 175 countries
All-time high
31.91 million people
in 2000
All-time low
0 people
in 2022
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China is 0 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China peaked at 31.91 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2022.
China ranks 105th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.91 million people | — |
| 2001 | 31.53 million people | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 29.55 million people | -6.3% |
| 2003 | 27.59 million people | -6.6% |
| 2004 | 25.66 million people | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 23.78 million people | -7.3% |
| 2006 | 21.95 million people | -7.7% |
| 2007 | 20.17 million people | -8.1% |
| 2008 | 18.44 million people | -8.6% |
| 2009 | 16.76 million people | -9.1% |
| 2010 | 15.13 million people | -9.7% |
| 2011 | 13.56 million people | -10.4% |
| 2012 | 12.05 million people | -11.1% |
| 2013 | 10.58 million people | -12.2% |
| 2014 | 9.16 million people | -13.4% |
| 2015 | 7.78 million people | -15.1% |
| 2016 | 6.45 million people | -17.1% |
| 2017 | 5.18 million people | -19.8% |
| 2018 | 3.95 million people | -23.7% |
| 2019 | 2.77 million people | -29.7% |
| 2020 | 1.65 million people | -40.4% |
| 2021 | 590,842 people | -64.3% |
| 2022 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 2023 | 0 people | — |
| 2024 | 0 people | — |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,980 people. (54 countries reporting)
- China's 0 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 14,678 people. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -100.0% | 590,842 people | 0 people |
| 2021 | -64.3% | 1.65 million people | 590,842 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.73 million people | 16.76 million people | 31.91 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.66 million people | 2.77 million people | 15.13 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 449,072 people | 0 people | 1.65 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 102 Tonga 67.34 people compare
- 103 Cook Islands 47.29 people compare
- 104 Turks and Caicos Islands 5.99 people compare
- 105 Albania 0 people compare
- 105 Algeria 0 people compare
- 105 Andorra 0 people
- 105 Antigua and Barbuda 0 people compare
- 105 Austria 0 people
- 105 Bangladesh 0 people compare
- 105 Belarus 0 people
- 105 Belgium 0 people
- 105 Bhutan 0 people compare
- 105 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 people compare
- 105 Brazil 0 people compare
- 105 Bulgaria 0 people
- 105 Canada 0 people
- 105 Chile 0 people compare
- 105 Cyprus 0 people
- 105 Czechia 0 people
- 105 Denmark 0 people
- 105 Egypt 0 people compare
- 105 Estonia 0 people
- 105 Eswatini 0 people compare
- 105 Falkland Islands 0 people
- 105 Fiji 0 people compare
- 105 Finland 0 people
- 105 France 0 people
- 105 Gambia 0 people compare
- 105 Georgia 0 people compare
- 105 Germany 0 people
- 105 Greece 0 people compare
- 105 Guyana 0 people compare
- 105 Hungary 0 people
- 105 Iceland 0 people
- 105 Iraq 0 people compare
- 105 Ireland 0 people
- 105 Israel 0 people
- 105 Italy 0 people
- 105 Kazakhstan 0 people compare
- 105 Kyrgyzstan 0 people compare
- 105 Latvia 0 people
- 105 Lithuania 0 people
- 105 Luxembourg 0 people
- 105 Maldives 0 people compare
- 105 Malta 0 people
- 105 Mexico 0 people compare
- 105 Morocco 0 people compare
- 105 Nepal 0 people compare
- 105 Netherlands 0 people
- 105 New Zealand 0 people
- 105 North Korea 0 people
- 105 Norway 0 people
- 105 Oman 0 people compare
- 105 Palau 0 people
- 105 Poland 0 people
- 105 Portugal 0 people
- 105 Romania 0 people
- 105 Russia 0 people
- 105 Slovakia 0 people
- 105 South Africa 0 people compare
- 105 Spain 0 people
- 105 Sri Lanka 0 people compare
- 105 Sweden 0 people
- 105 Switzerland 0 people
- 105 Thailand 0 people compare
- 105 Tokelau 0 people compare
- 105 Tunisia 0 people compare
- 105 Turkmenistan 0 people compare
- 105 United Arab Emirates 0 people
- 105 United Kingdom 0 people
- 105 United States 0 people
- 105 Uruguay 0 people compare
- 105 Vietnam 0 people compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in China was 0 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 31.91 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2022.
- How does China rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- China ranks 105th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas. 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
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.