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
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania, 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 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.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 93.3% | — |
| 2001 | 91.4% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 89.6% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 87.7% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 85.8% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 83.8% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 81.8% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 79.8% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 77.8% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 75.8% | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 73.7% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 71.6% | -2.8% |
| 2012 | 69.5% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 67.3% | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 65.2% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 63.0% | -3.4% |
| 2016 | 60.8% | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 58.5% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 56.3% | -3.8% |
| 2019 | 54.0% | -4.0% |
| 2020 | 51.7% | -4.2% |
| 2021 | 49.4% | -4.5% |
| 2022 | 47.1% | -4.7% |
| 2023 | 44.7% | -5.0% |
| 2024 | 42.4% | -5.3% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 42.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 26.4%, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 42.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More reference data data for Tanzania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 59.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 72.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.13 (2050)
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
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.