Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in China

China: Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population was 85.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
85.1%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
32nd
of 124 countries
All-time high
85.1%
in 2023
All-time low
27.9%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in China, 2000–2024

204060802000201220242000: 27.9 %2001: 28.1 %2002: 28.3 %2003: 31.4 %2004: 34.5 %2005: 37.6 %2006: 40.7 %2007: 43.8 %2008: 47 %2009: 50.2 %2010: 53.4 %2011: 56.6 %2012: 59.9 %2013: 63.2 %2014: 66.5 %2015: 69.8 %2016: 73.2 %2017: 76.6 %2018: 80 %2019: 83.4 %2020: 83.8 %2021: 84.3 %2022: 84.7 %2023: 85.1 %2024: 85.1 %

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in China stood at 85.1%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of up 27.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in China peaked at 85.1% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 27.9%, in 2000.

China ranks 32nd of 124 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 37.0% 27.9% 50.2% 10
2010s 68.3% 53.4% 83.4% 10
2020s 84.6% 83.8% 85.1% 5

Countries ranked near China

  1. 29 Saudi Arabia 86.2% compare
  2. 30 West Bank and Gaza 85.1% compare
  3. 31 Croatia 85.1% compare
  4. 33 Jordan 82.5% compare
  5. 34 Canada 81.2% compare
  6. 35 Belarus 81.1% compare

See the full ranking of 124 places →

More population data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in China?
Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in China was 85.1% 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 using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 85.1% in 2023.
What is the lowest using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 27.9% in 2000.
How does China rank for using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population?
China ranks 32nd out of 124 countries with data for 2024.
Is using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 27.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this China 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 Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population. 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
Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population
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
124 places, 3,067 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.