Sanitation facilities usage in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: Sanitation facilities usage was 16,271 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Sanitation facilities usage in Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu stood at 16,271 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.0% on the previous year and up 128.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in Vanuatu peaked at 16,271 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1,012 people, in 2000.
That places Vanuatu 86th 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 Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1,012 people | — |
| 2001 | 1,034 people | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 1,056 people | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 1,078 people | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 1,101 people | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 1,559 people | +41.6% |
| 2006 | 2,035 people | +30.5% |
| 2007 | 2,580 people | +26.8% |
| 2008 | 3,156 people | +22.3% |
| 2009 | 3,757 people | +19.1% |
| 2010 | 4,383 people | +16.6% |
| 2011 | 5,030 people | +14.8% |
| 2012 | 5,704 people | +13.4% |
| 2013 | 6,406 people | +12.3% |
| 2014 | 7,137 people | +11.4% |
| 2015 | 7,896 people | +10.6% |
| 2016 | 8,684 people | +10.0% |
| 2017 | 9,513 people | +9.5% |
| 2018 | 10,382 people | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 11,277 people | +8.6% |
| 2020 | 12,206 people | +8.2% |
| 2021 | 13,169 people | +7.9% |
| 2022 | 14,168 people | +7.6% |
| 2023 | 15,205 people | +7.3% |
| 2024 | 16,271 people | +7.0% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 16,271 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 585,262 people, 3% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 16,271 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.33 people, 165.5× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage in Vanuatu 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +41.6% | 1,101 people | 1,559 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,837 people | 1,012 people | 3,757 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,641 people | 4,383 people | 11,277 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 14,204 people | 12,206 people | 16,271 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
- 83 Uzbekistan 17,953 people compare
- 84 Cape Verde 17,945 people compare
- 85 Jamaica 16,325 people compare
- 87 Comoros 15,684 people compare
- 88 Saint Lucia 11,065 people compare
- 89 Micronesia (country) 10,298 people compare
More reference data data for Vanuatu
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0174 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0819 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0994 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0583 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0658 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4612 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5857 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0003 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in Vanuatu?
- Sanitation facilities usage in Vanuatu was 16,271 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 16,271 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,012 people in 2000.
- How does Vanuatu rank for sanitation facilities usage?
- Vanuatu ranks 86th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 128.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.