Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Tanzania
Tanzania: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas was 137,437 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Tanzania, 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
Tanzania recorded 137,437 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 10.1% on the previous year and down 36.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Tanzania peaked at 220,448 people in 2011 and was at its lowest, 137,437 people, in 2024.
That places Tanzania 34th 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 200,669 people | — |
| 2001 | 202,555 people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 203,975 people | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 206,934 people | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 210,060 people | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 213,000 people | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 215,648 people | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 217,879 people | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 219,488 people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 220,065 people | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 220,280 people | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 220,448 people | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 220,141 people | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 219,387 people | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 217,940 people | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 215,970 people | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 213,290 people | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 209,354 people | -1.8% |
| 2018 | 203,818 people | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 196,624 people | -3.5% |
| 2020 | 188,074 people | -4.3% |
| 2021 | 178,039 people | -5.3% |
| 2022 | 166,314 people | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 152,801 people | -8.1% |
| 2024 | 137,437 people | -10.1% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 137,437 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 34,339 people, 4.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 137,437 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 154,026 people, 89% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 211,027 people | 200,669 people | 220,065 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 213,725 people | 196,624 people | 220,448 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 164,533 people | 137,437 people | 188,074 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More reference data data for Tanzania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 59.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 72.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Tanzania?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas in Tanzania was 137,437 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 220,448 people in 2011.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 137,437 people in 2024.
- How does Tanzania rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas?
- Tanzania ranks 34th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 36.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.