Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan
Pakistan: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 461,905 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan, 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
In 2024, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan stood at 461,905 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 21.2% on the previous year and down 68.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan peaked at 1.96 million people in 2003 and was at its lowest, 461,905 people, in 2024.
That places Pakistan 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.78 million people | — |
| 2001 | 1.84 million people | +3.5% |
| 2002 | 1.90 million people | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 1.96 million people | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 1.94 million people | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 1.91 million people | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 1.88 million people | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 1.85 million people | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 1.82 million people | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 1.78 million people | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 1.73 million people | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 1.68 million people | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 1.62 million people | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 1.55 million people | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 1.47 million people | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 1.38 million people | -5.6% |
| 2016 | 1.30 million people | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 1.21 million people | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 1.11 million people | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 1.02 million people | -8.6% |
| 2020 | 919,119 people | -9.8% |
| 2021 | 815,070 people | -11.3% |
| 2022 | 704,123 people | -13.6% |
| 2023 | 586,050 people | -16.8% |
| 2024 | 461,905 people | -21.2% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 461,905 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34,339 people, 13.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 461,905 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2,073 people, 222.8× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.87 million people | 1.78 million people | 1.96 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 million people | 1.02 million people | 1.73 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 697,253 people | 461,905 people | 919,119 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More reference data data for Pakistan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 61.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 91.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 260 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.79 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Pakistan was 461,905 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 1.96 million people in 2003.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 461,905 people in 2024.
- How does Pakistan rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Pakistan ranks 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.