Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania

Tanzania: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 42.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
42.4%
Change on year
down 5.3%
World rank
21st
of 232 countries
All-time high
93.3%
in 2000
All-time low
42.4%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

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

0204060801002000201220242000: 93.3 %2001: 91.4 %2002: 89.6 %2003: 87.7 %2004: 85.8 %2005: 83.8 %2006: 81.8 %2007: 79.8 %2008: 77.8 %2009: 75.8 %2010: 73.7 %2011: 71.6 %2012: 69.5 %2013: 67.3 %2014: 65.2 %2015: 63 %2016: 60.8 %2017: 58.5 %2018: 56.3 %2019: 54 %2020: 51.7 %2021: 49.4 %2022: 47.1 %2023: 44.7 %2024: 42.4 %

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 Tanzania is 42.4%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.3% on the previous year and down 35.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania peaked at 93.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 42.4%, in 2024.

Tanzania ranks 21st 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 84.7% 75.8% 93.3% 10
2010s 64.0% 54.0% 73.7% 10
2020s 47.1% 42.4% 51.7% 5

Countries ranked near Tanzania

  1. 18 Namibia 47.3% compare
  2. 19 Sao Tome and Principe 45.5% compare
  3. 20 Congo 45.0% compare
  4. 22 Burundi 42.2% compare
  5. 23 Sierra Leone 40.5% compare
  6. 24 Gambia 40.1% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More reference data data for Tanzania

All data for Tanzania →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania?
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania was 42.4% 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 Tanzania?
The highest recorded value was 93.3% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Tanzania?
The lowest recorded value was 42.4% in 2024.
How does Tanzania rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
Tanzania ranks 21st out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Tanzania?
Over the last ten years it is down 35.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Tanzania 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.