Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India
India: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 0 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0 people
Change on year
down 100.0%
World rank
97th
of 186 countries
All-time high
74.39 million people
in 2000
All-time low
0 people
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India, 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
The most recent figure for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India is 0 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 100.0% on the previous year and down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India peaked at 74.39 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2024.
That places India 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 74.39 million people | — |
| 2001 | 73.20 million people | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 72.03 million people | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 70.66 million people | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 69.12 million people | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 67.39 million people | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 65.45 million people | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 63.31 million people | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 60.98 million people | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 58.47 million people | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 55.80 million people | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 52.93 million people | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 49.86 million people | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 46.59 million people | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 43.11 million people | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 39.41 million people | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 35.51 million people | -9.9% |
| 2017 | 31.40 million people | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 27.05 million people | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 22.46 million people | -17.0% |
| 2020 | 17.64 million people | -21.5% |
| 2021 | 12.56 million people | -28.8% |
| 2022 | 7.25 million people | -42.3% |
| 2023 | 1.71 million people | -76.4% |
| 2024 | 0 people | -100.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 0 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34,339 people. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -100.0% | 1.71 million people | 0 people |
| 2023 | -76.4% | 7.25 million people | 1.71 million people |
| 2022 | -42.3% | 12.56 million people | 7.25 million people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 67.50 million people | 58.47 million people | 74.39 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.41 million people | 22.46 million people | 55.80 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.83 million people | 0 people | 17.64 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near India
- 94 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 51.23 people compare
- 95 Cook Islands 33.8 people compare
- 96 Tonga 21.18 people compare
- 97 Afghanistan 0 people compare
- 97 Albania 0 people compare
- 97 Andorra 0 people
- 97 Argentina 0 people compare
- 97 Armenia 0 people compare
- 97 Austria 0 people
- 97 Azerbaijan 0 people compare
- 97 Bangladesh 0 people compare
- 97 Belarus 0 people
- 97 Belgium 0 people
- 97 Bermuda 0 people
- 97 Bhutan 0 people compare
- 97 Bolivia 0 people compare
- 97 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 people compare
- 97 Brazil 0 people compare
- 97 Bulgaria 0 people
- 97 Cambodia 0 people compare
- 97 Canada 0 people
- 97 Cayman Islands 0 people
- 97 Chile 0 people compare
- 97 China 0 people compare
- 97 Cyprus 0 people
- 97 Czechia 0 people
- 97 Denmark 0 people
- 97 East Timor 0 people compare
- 97 Ecuador 0 people compare
- 97 Egypt 0 people compare
- 97 Estonia 0 people
- 97 Falkland Islands 0 people
- 97 Fiji 0 people compare
- 97 Finland 0 people
- 97 France 0 people
- 97 Germany 0 people
- 97 Gibraltar 0 people
- 97 Greece 0 people compare
- 97 Hong Kong 0 people
- 97 Hungary 0 people
- 97 Iceland 0 people
- 97 Iran 0 people compare
- 97 Ireland 0 people
- 97 Israel 0 people
- 97 Italy 0 people
- 97 Kazakhstan 0 people
- 97 Kuwait 0 people
- 97 Kyrgyzstan 0 people compare
- 97 Laos 0 people compare
- 97 Latvia 0 people
- 97 Lithuania 0 people
- 97 Luxembourg 0 people
- 97 Macao 0 people
- 97 Malaysia 0 people compare
- 97 Maldives 0 people compare
- 97 Malta 0 people
- 97 Mexico 0 people compare
- 97 Moldova 0 people
- 97 Monaco 0 people
- 97 Montenegro 0 people compare
- 97 Netherlands 0 people
- 97 New Zealand 0 people
- 97 North Korea 0 people
- 97 North Macedonia 0 people
- 97 Norway 0 people
- 97 Oman 0 people compare
- 97 Palau 0 people
- 97 Palestine 0 people compare
- 97 Paraguay 0 people compare
- 97 Poland 0 people
- 97 Portugal 0 people
- 97 Romania 0 people
- 97 Russia 0 people
- 97 Saint Barthelemy 0 people
- 97 Saint Martin (French part) 0 people
- 97 Singapore 0 people
- 97 Slovakia 0 people
- 97 Spain 0 people
- 97 Sri Lanka 0 people compare
- 97 Sweden 0 people
- 97 Switzerland 0 people
- 97 Thailand 0 people compare
- 97 Turkmenistan 0 people compare
- 97 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 people
- 97 Ukraine 0 people
- 97 United Arab Emirates 0 people
- 97 United Kingdom 0 people
- 97 United States 0 people
- 97 Uruguay 0 people compare
- 97 Uzbekistan 0 people
- 97 Vietnam 0 people compare
- 97 Zimbabwe 0 people compare
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in India was 0 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 74.39 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2024.
- How does India rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- India ranks 97th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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.
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.