Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Uganda
Uganda: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 1.52 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Uganda, 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
Uganda recorded 1.52 million people for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.9% on the previous year and down 41.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Uganda peaked at 3.29 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.52 million people, in 2024.
That places Uganda 29th 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 Uganda, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.29 million people | — |
| 2001 | 3.27 million people | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 3.25 million people | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 3.23 million people | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 3.20 million people | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 3.16 million people | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 3.12 million people | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 3.07 million people | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 3.02 million people | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 2.96 million people | -1.8% |
| 2010 | 2.90 million people | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 2.84 million people | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 2.77 million people | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 2.69 million people | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 2.61 million people | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 2.53 million people | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 2.45 million people | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 2.36 million people | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 2.27 million people | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 2.17 million people | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 2.06 million people | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 1.94 million people | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 1.81 million people | -6.7% |
| 2023 | 1.67 million people | -7.8% |
| 2024 | 1.52 million people | -8.9% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 1.52 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.69 million people, 90% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 1.52 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.16 million people, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.16 million people | 2.96 million people | 3.29 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.56 million people | 2.17 million people | 2.90 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.80 million people | 1.52 million people | 2.06 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
More reference data data for Uganda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4214 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 29.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 42.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.29 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Uganda?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Uganda was 1.52 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 3.29 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.52 million people in 2024.
- How does Uganda rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Uganda ranks 29th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.