Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 12,918 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia, 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
Saudi Arabia recorded 12,918 people for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia peaked at 12,918 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 5,769 people, in 2000.
Saudi Arabia ranks 60th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5,769 people | — |
| 2001 | 6,094 people | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 6,423 people | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 6,756 people | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 7,094 people | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 7,435 people | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 7,782 people | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 8,134 people | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 8,492 people | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 8,854 people | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 9,222 people | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 9,595 people | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 9,973 people | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 10,356 people | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 10,743 people | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 11,135 people | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 11,441 people | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 11,496 people | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 11,370 people | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 11,440 people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 11,666 people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 11,823 people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 12,175 people | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 12,620 people | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 12,918 people | +2.4% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 12,918 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2,073 people, 6.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7,283 people | 5,769 people | 8,854 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 10,677 people | 9,222 people | 11,496 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 12,240 people | 11,666 people | 12,918 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia was 12,918 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 12,918 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,769 people in 2000.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 60th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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.