Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal
Nepal: Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services was 55.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal, 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 urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal stood at 55.6%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 69.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal peaked at 55.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 2000.
That places Nepal 40th out of 100 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.4% | — |
| 2001 | 8.5% | +34.1% |
| 2002 | 10.2% | +19.4% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | +16.6% |
| 2004 | 13.6% | +14.5% |
| 2005 | 15.4% | +12.9% |
| 2006 | 17.2% | +11.7% |
| 2007 | 19.0% | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 20.9% | +9.8% |
| 2009 | 22.8% | +9.1% |
| 2010 | 24.7% | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 26.7% | +8.0% |
| 2012 | 28.7% | +7.5% |
| 2013 | 30.7% | +7.1% |
| 2014 | 32.8% | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 34.9% | +6.5% |
| 2016 | 37.1% | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 39.3% | +5.9% |
| 2018 | 41.5% | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 43.7% | +5.4% |
| 2020 | 46.0% | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 48.4% | +5.1% |
| 2022 | 50.7% | +4.9% |
| 2023 | 53.1% | +4.7% |
| 2024 | 55.6% | +4.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 14.6% | 6.4% | 22.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.0% | 24.7% | 43.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 50.8% | 46.0% | 55.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More population data for Nepal
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0333 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.593 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6271 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,401 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.8872 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.8575 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Population density 222.05 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.41 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal?
- Share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services in Nepal was 55.6% 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 urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 55.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 2000.
- How does Nepal rank for share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services?
- Nepal ranks 40th out of 100 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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 urban and rural population using safely managed sanitation services. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.