Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Mauritania
Mauritania: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 56,408 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Mauritania, 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 Mauritania is 56,408 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 26.8% on the previous year and down 70.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Mauritania peaked at 209,880 people in 2004 and was at its lowest, 56,408 people, in 2024.
That places Mauritania 44th out of 186 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 urban areas in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 208,268 people | — |
| 2001 | 208,203 people | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 209,036 people | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 209,617 people | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 209,880 people | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 209,804 people | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 209,372 people | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 208,568 people | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 207,724 people | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 206,710 people | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 205,085 people | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 202,756 people | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 199,578 people | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 195,172 people | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 189,460 people | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 182,601 people | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 174,514 people | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 165,130 people | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 154,361 people | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 142,128 people | -7.9% |
| 2020 | 128,335 people | -9.7% |
| 2021 | 112,917 people | -12.0% |
| 2022 | 95,875 people | -15.1% |
| 2023 | 77,101 people | -19.6% |
| 2024 | 56,408 people | -26.8% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 56,408 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34,339 people, 1.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 56,408 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 154,026 people, 37% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Mauritania 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 | -26.8% | 77,101 people | 56,408 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 208,718 people | 206,710 people | 209,880 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 181,078 people | 142,128 people | 205,085 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 94,127 people | 56,408 people | 128,335 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More reference data data for Mauritania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0975 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0216 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.327 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1337 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1178 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Mauritania?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Mauritania was 56,408 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 209,880 people in 2004.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 56,408 people in 2024.
- How does Mauritania rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Mauritania ranks 44th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 70.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.