Sanitation facilities usage in Rwanda
Rwanda: Sanitation facilities usage was 160,208 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in Rwanda, 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 Rwanda is 160,208 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.4% on the previous year and down 32.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in Rwanda peaked at 284,210 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 160,208 people, in 2024.
Rwanda ranks 61st of 232 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 284,210 people | — |
| 2001 | 277,230 people | -2.5% |
| 2002 | 271,385 people | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 269,045 people | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 267,872 people | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 266,490 people | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 264,856 people | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 262,923 people | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 260,611 people | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 257,861 people | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 254,650 people | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 250,930 people | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 246,721 people | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 242,186 people | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 237,294 people | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 231,941 people | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 226,119 people | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 219,816 people | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 213,011 people | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 205,685 people | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 197,826 people | -3.8% |
| 2021 | 189,406 people | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 180,516 people | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 171,159 people | -5.2% |
| 2024 | 160,208 people | -6.4% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 160,208 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 1.99 million people, 8% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 160,208 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.31 million people, 12% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 268,248 people | 257,861 people | 284,210 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 232,835 people | 205,685 people | 254,650 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 179,823 people | 160,208 people | 197,826 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More reference data data for Rwanda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2282 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1223 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7651 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.666 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in Rwanda?
- Sanitation facilities usage in Rwanda was 160,208 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 284,210 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 160,208 people in 2024.
- How does Rwanda rank for sanitation facilities usage?
- Rwanda ranks 61st out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.