Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea
Eritrea: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 78.3% in 2016. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea, 2000–2016
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea is 78.3%, measured in 2016. That is the lowest value across all 17 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea peaked at 84.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 78.3%, in 2016.
Eritrea ranks 3rd of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 17 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 84.1% | — |
| 2001 | 83.5% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 83.0% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 82.5% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 81.5% | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 81.0% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 80.5% | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 80.1% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 79.8% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 79.6% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 79.4% | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 79.2% | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 79.0% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 78.7% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 78.5% | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 78.3% | -0.3% |
Eritrea compared with similar countries
- Eritrea's 78.3% is above the median for low income countries, which is 42.2%, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Eritrea's 78.3% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 2.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 81.8% | 79.8% | 84.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.0% | 78.3% | 79.6% | 7 |
Countries ranked near Eritrea
- 1 Chad 81.3% compare
- 2 Ethiopia 81.1% compare
- 4 South Sudan 77.7% compare
- 5 Niger 73.5% compare
- 6 Papua New Guinea 70.6% compare
More reference data data for Eritrea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0531 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.46 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 4.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 6,237 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 161.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure applied to Soils 47.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure left on Pasture 1,801 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 4,287 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 0.1557 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Eritrea was 78.3% in 2016, 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 Eritrea?
- The highest recorded value was 84.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Eritrea?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.3% in 2016.
- How does Eritrea rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Eritrea ranks 3rd out of 232 countries with data for 2016.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Eritrea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Eritrea 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 — 17 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.