Sanitation facilities usage in China
China: Sanitation facilities usage was 0 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
0 people
World rank
133rd
of 232 countries
All-time high
32.70 million people
in 2000
All-time low
0 people
in 2023
Years of data
25
2000–2024
Sanitation facilities usage in China, 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 China is 0 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in China peaked at 32.70 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2023.
That places China 133rd out of 232 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 China, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 32.70 million people | — |
| 2001 | 32.35 million people | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 30.40 million people | -6.0% |
| 2003 | 28.48 million people | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 26.58 million people | -6.6% |
| 2005 | 24.74 million people | -6.9% |
| 2006 | 22.95 million people | -7.2% |
| 2007 | 21.20 million people | -7.6% |
| 2008 | 19.51 million people | -8.0% |
| 2009 | 17.86 million people | -8.4% |
| 2010 | 16.27 million people | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 14.73 million people | -9.4% |
| 2012 | 13.26 million people | -10.0% |
| 2013 | 11.83 million people | -10.8% |
| 2014 | 10.44 million people | -11.7% |
| 2015 | 9.09 million people | -12.9% |
| 2016 | 7.80 million people | -14.2% |
| 2017 | 6.56 million people | -15.9% |
| 2018 | 5.36 million people | -18.2% |
| 2019 | 4.22 million people | -21.4% |
| 2020 | 3.12 million people | -25.9% |
| 2021 | 2.08 million people | -33.3% |
| 2022 | 1.51 million people | -27.4% |
| 2023 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 2024 | 0 people | — |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 0 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3,951 people. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 0 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.33 people. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage in China 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -100.0% | 1.51 million people | 0 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 25.68 million people | 17.86 million people | 32.70 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.96 million people | 4.22 million people | 16.27 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.34 million people | 0 people | 3.12 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 130 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 51.23 people compare
- 131 Niue 10.96 people compare
- 132 Turks and Caicos Islands 5.99 people compare
- 133 Albania 0 people compare
- 133 Andorra 0 people
- 133 Australia 0 people
- 133 Austria 0 people
- 133 Bahrain 0 people
- 133 Bangladesh 0 people compare
- 133 Barbados 0 people compare
- 133 Belarus 0 people
- 133 Belgium 0 people
- 133 Bermuda 0 people
- 133 Bhutan 0 people compare
- 133 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 0 people
- 133 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 people compare
- 133 Brazil 0 people compare
- 133 British Virgin Islands 0 people compare
- 133 Brunei 0 people compare
- 133 Bulgaria 0 people
- 133 Canada 0 people
- 133 Cayman Islands 0 people
- 133 Chile 0 people compare
- 133 Cyprus 0 people
- 133 Czechia 0 people
- 133 Denmark 0 people
- 133 Egypt 0 people compare
- 133 Estonia 0 people
- 133 Falkland Islands 0 people
- 133 Faroe Islands 0 people
- 133 Fiji 0 people compare
- 133 Finland 0 people
- 133 France 0 people
- 133 French Guiana 0 people
- 133 French Polynesia 0 people compare
- 133 Germany 0 people
- 133 Gibraltar 0 people
- 133 Greece 0 people compare
- 133 Greenland 0 people
- 133 Guadeloupe 0 people
- 133 Guernsey 0 people
- 133 Hong Kong 0 people
- 133 Hungary 0 people
- 133 Iceland 0 people
- 133 Ireland 0 people
- 133 Isle of Man 0 people
- 133 Israel 0 people
- 133 Italy 0 people
- 133 Japan 0 people
- 133 Jersey 0 people
- 133 Kazakhstan 0 people compare
- 133 Kuwait 0 people
- 133 Kyrgyzstan 0 people compare
- 133 Latvia 0 people
- 133 Lebanon 0 people compare
- 133 Liechtenstein 0 people
- 133 Lithuania 0 people
- 133 Luxembourg 0 people
- 133 Macao 0 people
- 133 Maldives 0 people compare
- 133 Malta 0 people
- 133 Martinique 0 people
- 133 Mayotte 0 people
- 133 Mexico 0 people compare
- 133 Monaco 0 people
- 133 Montserrat 0 people compare
- 133 Netherlands 0 people
- 133 New Caledonia 0 people
- 133 New Zealand 0 people
- 133 North Korea 0 people
- 133 Norway 0 people
- 133 Oman 0 people compare
- 133 Palau 0 people
- 133 Poland 0 people
- 133 Portugal 0 people
- 133 Puerto Rico 0 people
- 133 Reunion 0 people
- 133 Romania 0 people
- 133 Russia 0 people
- 133 Saint Barthelemy 0 people
- 133 Saint Helena 0 people
- 133 Saint Martin (French part) 0 people
- 133 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 people
- 133 San Marino 0 people
- 133 Seychelles 0 people compare
- 133 Singapore 0 people
- 133 Slovakia 0 people
- 133 Slovenia 0 people
- 133 South Korea 0 people
- 133 Spain 0 people
- 133 Sri Lanka 0 people compare
- 133 Sweden 0 people
- 133 Switzerland 0 people
- 133 Thailand 0 people compare
- 133 Tokelau 0 people compare
- 133 Turkmenistan 0 people compare
- 133 United Arab Emirates 0 people
- 133 United Kingdom 0 people
- 133 United States 0 people
- 133 United States Virgin Islands 0 people
- 133 Uruguay 0 people compare
- 133 Vietnam 0 people compare
More reference data data for China
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in China?
- Sanitation facilities usage in China 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 recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 32.70 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2023.
- How does China rank for sanitation facilities usage?
- China ranks 133rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China 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. 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.