Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia

Colombia: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 197,754 people in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
197,754 people
Change on year
down 10.4%
World rank
24th
of 186 countries
All-time high
544,907 people
in 2000
All-time low
197,754 people
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia, 2000–2024

0200.0k400.0k600.0k2000201220242000: 544.9k people2001: 539.1k people2002: 532.5k people2003: 525.2k people2004: 517.1k people2005: 508.1k people2006: 498.1k people2007: 487.2k people2008: 475.5k people2009: 462.9k people2010: 449.6k people2011: 435.5k people2012: 420.5k people2013: 404.6k people2014: 388.0k people2015: 370.7k people2016: 353.4k people2017: 336.9k people2018: 321.0k people2019: 303.9k people2020: 284.9k people2021: 264.2k people2022: 242.7k people2023: 220.7k people2024: 197.8k people

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

Colombia recorded 197,754 people for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 10.4% on the previous year and down 49.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia peaked at 544,907 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 197,754 people, in 2024.

Colombia ranks 24th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia, year by year

Annual values for Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia, 2000 to 2024.
Year people Change
2000 544,907 people
2001 539,071 people -1.1%
2002 532,500 people -1.2%
2003 525,207 people -1.4%
2004 517,126 people -1.5%
2005 508,104 people -1.7%
2006 498,113 people -2.0%
2007 487,235 people -2.2%
2008 475,461 people -2.4%
2009 462,917 people -2.6%
2010 449,644 people -2.9%
2011 435,489 people -3.1%
2012 420,460 people -3.5%
2013 404,631 people -3.8%
2014 388,016 people -4.1%
2015 370,746 people -4.5%
2016 353,370 people -4.7%
2017 336,939 people -4.6%
2018 320,974 people -4.7%
2019 303,918 people -5.3%
2020 284,929 people -6.2%
2021 264,212 people -7.3%
2022 242,725 people -8.1%
2023 220,653 people -9.1%
2024 197,754 people -10.4%

Colombia compared with similar countries

  • Colombia's 197,754 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 156.93 people, 1260.1× the median. (54 countries reporting)
  • Colombia's 197,754 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 678.67 people, 291.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 509,064 people 462,917 people 544,907 people 10
2010s 378,419 people 303,918 people 449,644 people 10
2020s 242,055 people 197,754 people 284,929 people 5

Countries ranked near Colombia

  1. 21 Niger 370,051 people compare
  2. 22 Namibia 333,926 people compare
  3. 23 Uganda 247,091 people compare
  4. 25 South Africa 177,162 people compare
  5. 26 Somalia 161,906 people compare
  6. 27 Central African Republic 160,881 people compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More reference data data for Colombia

All data for Colombia →

Frequently asked questions

What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia?
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia was 197,754 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 urban areas recorded in Colombia?
The highest recorded value was 544,907 people in 2000.
What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Colombia?
The lowest recorded value was 197,754 people in 2024.
How does Colombia rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
Colombia ranks 24th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Colombia?
Over the last ten years it is down 49.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Colombia 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 urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Colombia. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/sanitation-facilities-coverage-in-urban-areas/colombia/

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About this data

Indicator
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 4,553 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.