Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in El Salvador
El Salvador: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 1.2% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in El Salvador, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
El Salvador recorded 1.2% for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.9% on the previous year and down 72.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in El Salvador peaked at 10.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 2024.
That places El Salvador 127th 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.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 10.0% | — |
| 2001 | 9.9% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 9.8% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 9.3% | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 8.9% | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -5.5% |
| 2007 | 7.5% | -5.8% |
| 2008 | 7.0% | -6.6% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | -6.8% |
| 2010 | 6.1% | -7.1% |
| 2011 | 5.6% | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | -7.8% |
| 2013 | 4.7% | -8.2% |
| 2014 | 4.3% | -8.7% |
| 2015 | 3.9% | -9.2% |
| 2016 | 3.5% | -9.8% |
| 2017 | 3.2% | -10.5% |
| 2018 | 2.8% | -11.3% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | -10.6% |
| 2020 | 2.2% | -11.4% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | -12.3% |
| 2022 | 1.7% | -13.5% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | -15.0% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -16.9% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 1.2% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.6%, 46% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 1.2% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.9%, 62% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.5% | 6.5% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2% | 2.5% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.7% | 1.2% | 2.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 124 Turks and Caicos Islands 1.3% compare
- 125 Jamaica 1.3% compare
- 126 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 1.2% compare
- 128 Cook Islands 1.2% compare
- 129 Aruba 1.2% compare
- 130 Palau 1.0% compare
More reference data data for El Salvador
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2714 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.6267 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0909 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3176 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4948 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in El Salvador?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in El Salvador was 1.2% 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 share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 2024.
- How does El Salvador rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- El Salvador ranks 127th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 72.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador 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 — 25 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.