Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Yemen
Yemen: Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas was 1.92 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Yemen, 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
Yemen recorded 1.92 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 15.1% on the previous year and down 59.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Yemen peaked at 6.52 million people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.92 million people, in 2024.
That places Yemen 26th 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 Yemen, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.23 million people | — |
| 2001 | 6.38 million people | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 6.52 million people | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 6.42 million people | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 6.31 million people | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 6.20 million people | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 6.09 million people | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 5.97 million people | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 5.84 million people | -2.2% |
| 2009 | 5.69 million people | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 5.53 million people | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 5.36 million people | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 5.17 million people | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 4.97 million people | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 4.76 million people | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 4.54 million people | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 4.30 million people | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 4.05 million people | -5.8% |
| 2018 | 3.79 million people | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 3.51 million people | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 3.22 million people | -8.3% |
| 2021 | 2.91 million people | -9.6% |
| 2022 | 2.59 million people | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 2.27 million people | -12.6% |
| 2024 | 1.92 million people | -15.1% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 1.92 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.69 million people, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 1.92 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 504.45 people, 3813.0× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.16 million people | 5.69 million people | 6.52 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.60 million people | 3.51 million people | 5.53 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.58 million people | 1.92 million people | 3.22 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More reference data data for Yemen
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1676 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.35 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0827 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.35 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5619 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2189 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 17.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4503 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Yemen?
- Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas in Yemen was 1.92 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 6.52 million people in 2002.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in rural areas recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.92 million people in 2024.
- How does Yemen rank for sanitation facilities usage in rural areas?
- Yemen ranks 26th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in rural areas rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Yemen 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.