Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 81.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia stood at 81.1%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia peaked at 92.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 81.1%, in 2024.
Ethiopia ranks 2nd of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 92.9% | — |
| 2001 | 92.5% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 92.1% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 91.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 91.3% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 90.9% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 90.5% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 90.1% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 89.6% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 89.1% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 88.6% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 88.1% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 87.6% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 87.0% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 86.5% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 86.0% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 85.5% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 85.0% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 84.4% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 83.9% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 83.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 82.8% | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 82.2% | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 81.7% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 81.1% | -0.7% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 81.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 42.2%, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 81.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 91.1% | 89.1% | 92.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.3% | 83.9% | 88.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.2% | 81.1% | 83.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Ethiopia was 81.1% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 92.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.1% in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Ethiopia ranks 2nd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.