Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Congo
Congo: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 45.0% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Congo, 2000–2021
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Congo recorded 45.0% for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Congo peaked at 64.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 45.0%, in 2021.
That places Congo 20th out of 232 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 64.3% | — |
| 2001 | 64.1% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 63.0% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 62.0% | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 60.9% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 59.9% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 58.8% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 57.7% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 56.6% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 55.5% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 54.4% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 53.2% | -2.1% |
| 2012 | 52.1% | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 50.9% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 49.7% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 48.5% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 47.3% | -2.5% |
| 2017 | 46.1% | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 45.8% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 45.6% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 45.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 45.0% | -0.6% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 45.0% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 45.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 60.3% | 55.5% | 64.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.4% | 45.6% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.2% | 45.0% | 45.3% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More reference data data for Congo
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0199 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.1866 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0031 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.2108 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0668 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0724 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9126 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.017 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Congo?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Congo was 45.0% in 2021, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 64.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.0% in 2021.
- How does Congo rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Congo ranks 20th out of 232 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo 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 Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.