Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in India
India: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 97.69 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in India, 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
In 2024, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in India stood at 97.69 million people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 23.8% on the previous year and down 75.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in India peaked at 699.49 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 97.69 million people, in 2024.
That places India 1st out of 175 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 | 615.89 million people | 520.54 million people | 699.49 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 377.78 million people | 251.38 million people | 496.73 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 159.14 million people | 97.69 million people | 220.88 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
More reference data data for India
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- Summer temperature anomalies 0.6189 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.0088 °C (2026)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in India?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in India was 97.69 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 699.49 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 97.69 million people in 2024.
- How does India rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- India ranks 1st out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India 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.
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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.