Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 20.60 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Ethiopia, 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
Ethiopia recorded 20.60 million people for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 9.2% on the previous year and down 44.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Ethiopia peaked at 46.38 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 20.60 million people, in 2024.
Ethiopia ranks 3rd of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 46.38 million people | — |
| 2001 | 46.21 million people | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.01 million people | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 45.74 million people | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 45.41 million people | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 45.01 million people | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 44.54 million people | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 44.00 million people | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 43.28 million people | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 42.48 million people | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 41.61 million people | -2.1% |
| 2011 | 40.67 million people | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 39.64 million people | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 38.52 million people | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 37.30 million people | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 36.01 million people | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 34.65 million people | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 33.22 million people | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 31.69 million people | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 30.08 million people | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 28.38 million people | -5.6% |
| 2021 | 26.59 million people | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 24.69 million people | -7.1% |
| 2023 | 22.69 million people | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 20.60 million people | -9.2% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 20.60 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.69 million people, 12.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 20.60 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 17.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.91 million people | 42.48 million people | 46.38 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.34 million people | 30.08 million people | 41.61 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.59 million people | 20.60 million people | 28.38 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Ethiopia?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Ethiopia was 20.60 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 sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 46.38 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.60 million people in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Ethiopia ranks 3rd out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.