Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Tanzania
Tanzania: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 4.50 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania stood at 4.50 million people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Tanzania peaked at 4.50 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.77 million people, in 2000.
Tanzania ranks 17th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.77 million people | — |
| 2001 | 3.81 million people | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 3.85 million people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 3.88 million people | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 3.92 million people | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 3.95 million people | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 3.98 million people | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 4.02 million people | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 4.04 million people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 4.06 million people | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 4.08 million people | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 4.10 million people | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 4.13 million people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 4.17 million people | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 4.20 million people | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 4.25 million people | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 4.29 million people | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 4.34 million people | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 4.37 million people | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 4.40 million people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 4.42 million people | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 4.45 million people | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 4.47 million people | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 4.48 million people | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 4.50 million people | +0.3% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 4.50 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 539,517 people, 8.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 4.50 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 3.9× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.93 million people | 3.77 million people | 4.06 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.23 million people | 4.08 million people | 4.40 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.46 million people | 4.42 million people | 4.50 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More reference data data for Tanzania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 59.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 72.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Tanzania?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Tanzania was 4.50 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 4.50 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.77 million people in 2000.
- How does Tanzania rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Tanzania ranks 17th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.