Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Mauritania
Mauritania: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 31.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Mauritania, 2000–2024
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 Mauritania is 31.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 35.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Mauritania peaked at 74.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 2024.
Mauritania ranks 37th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 74.9% | — |
| 2001 | 73.3% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 71.5% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 69.7% | -2.5% |
| 2004 | 67.9% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 66.2% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 64.3% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 62.5% | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 60.7% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 58.9% | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 57.0% | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 55.1% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 53.3% | -3.4% |
| 2013 | 51.4% | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 49.5% | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 47.6% | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 45.7% | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 43.8% | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 41.9% | -4.3% |
| 2019 | 40.0% | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 38.1% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 36.2% | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 34.3% | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 32.4% | -5.6% |
| 2024 | 31.9% | -1.3% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 31.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 31.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 87% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 67.0% | 58.9% | 74.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.5% | 40.0% | 57.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.6% | 31.9% | 38.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More reference data data for Mauritania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0975 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0216 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.327 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1337 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1178 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Mauritania?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Mauritania was 31.9% 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 74.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 2024.
- How does Mauritania rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Mauritania ranks 37th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.