Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Mauritania
Mauritania: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 780,262 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Mauritania, 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 Mauritania stood at 780,262 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 4.0% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Mauritania peaked at 1.34 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 780,262 people, in 2024.
That places Mauritania 40th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.34 million people | — |
| 2001 | 1.33 million people | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 1.31 million people | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 1.28 million people | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 1.26 million people | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 1.24 million people | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 1.22 million people | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 1.20 million people | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 1.18 million people | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 1.16 million people | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 1.15 million people | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 1.13 million people | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 1.11 million people | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 1.09 million people | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 1.07 million people | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 1.04 million people | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 1.02 million people | -2.4% |
| 2017 | 989,820 people | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 962,621 people | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 934,419 people | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 905,153 people | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 874,811 people | -3.4% |
| 2022 | 844,102 people | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 812,893 people | -3.7% |
| 2024 | 780,262 people | -4.0% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 780,262 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 539,517 people, 1.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 780,262 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 67% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.25 million people | 1.16 million people | 1.34 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.05 million people | 934,419 people | 1.15 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 843,444 people | 780,262 people | 905,153 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More reference data data for Mauritania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0975 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0216 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.327 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1337 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1178 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Mauritania?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Mauritania was 780,262 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 1.34 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 780,262 people in 2024.
- How does Mauritania rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Mauritania ranks 40th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.