Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India
India: Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre was 0.576 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India is 0.576 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 76.4% on the previous year and down 96.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India peaked at 25.02 people per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.576 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
That places India 42nd out of 182 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25.02 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 24.62 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 24.23 people per square kilometre | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 23.77 people per square kilometre | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 23.25 people per square kilometre | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 22.66 people per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 22.01 people per square kilometre | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 21.29 people per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 20.51 people per square kilometre | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 19.67 people per square kilometre | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 18.77 people per square kilometre | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 17.8 people per square kilometre | -5.1% |
| 2012 | 16.77 people per square kilometre | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 15.67 people per square kilometre | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 14.5 people per square kilometre | -7.5% |
| 2015 | 13.26 people per square kilometre | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 11.94 people per square kilometre | -9.9% |
| 2017 | 10.56 people per square kilometre | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 9.1 people per square kilometre | -13.9% |
| 2019 | 7.55 people per square kilometre | -17.0% |
| 2020 | 5.93 people per square kilometre | -21.5% |
| 2021 | 4.22 people per square kilometre | -28.8% |
| 2022 | 2.44 people per square kilometre | -42.3% |
| 2023 | 0.576 people per square kilometre | -76.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 0.576 people per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2257 people per square kilometre, 2.6× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India 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 | -76.4% | 2.44 people per square kilometre | 0.576 people per square kilometre |
| 2022 | -42.3% | 4.22 people per square kilometre | 2.44 people per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22.7 people per square kilometre | 19.67 people per square kilometre | 25.02 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.59 people per square kilometre | 7.55 people per square kilometre | 18.77 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.29 people per square kilometre | 0.576 people per square kilometre | 5.93 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 39 South Sudan 0.6528 people per square kilometre compare
- 40 Rwanda 0.5899 people per square kilometre compare
- 41 Mauritius 0.5823 people per square kilometre compare
- 43 Solomon Islands 0.574 people per square kilometre compare
- 44 Chad 0.5739 people per square kilometre compare
- 45 Senegal 0.5244 people per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for India
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 20.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 68.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 15.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 246.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 70.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 309.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 85.03 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India?
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre in India was 0.576 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 25.02 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.576 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does India rank for sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre?
- India ranks 42nd out of 182 countries with data for 2023.
- Is sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 96.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Sanitation facilities usage in urban areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.