Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan

Pakistan: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 20.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
20.5%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
50th
of 232 countries
All-time high
58.1%
in 2000
All-time low
20.5%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 58.1 %2001: 58 %2002: 57.9 %2003: 57.8 %2004: 55.8 %2005: 53.8 %2006: 51.8 %2007: 49.8 %2008: 47.8 %2009: 45.8 %2010: 43.8 %2011: 41.9 %2012: 39.9 %2013: 38 %2014: 36 %2015: 34.1 %2016: 32.1 %2017: 30.2 %2018: 28.3 %2019: 26.4 %2020: 24.5 %2021: 22.5 %2022: 20.6 %2023: 20.6 %2024: 20.5 %

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 Pakistan is 20.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 42.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan peaked at 58.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 20.5%, in 2024.

Pakistan ranks 50th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 53.7% 45.8% 58.1% 10
2010s 35.1% 26.4% 43.8% 10
2020s 21.8% 20.5% 24.5% 5

Countries ranked near Pakistan

  1. 47 Malawi 24.1% compare
  2. 48 Gabon 24.0% compare
  3. 49 Equatorial Guinea 23.8% compare
  4. 51 Senegal 20.2% compare
  5. 52 Guatemala 17.4% compare
  6. 53 Dominica 16.5% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More reference data data for Pakistan

All data for Pakistan →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan?
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Pakistan was 20.5% 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 Pakistan?
The highest recorded value was 58.1% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Pakistan?
The lowest recorded value was 20.5% in 2024.
How does Pakistan rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
Pakistan ranks 50th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Pakistan?
Over the last ten years it is down 42.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Pakistan 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

Indicator
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,597 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.