People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia

South Asia: People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water was 83.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
83.6%
Change on year
up 0.5%
Rank
7th
of 32 groups
All-time high
83.6%
in 2024
All-time low
41.6%
in 2010
Years of data
15
2010–2024

People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia, 2010–2024

0204060802010201720242010: 41.6 % of rural population2011: 42 % of rural population2012: 42.4 % of rural population2013: 43.6 % of rural population2014: 44 % of rural population2015: 48.4 % of rural population2016: 52.7 % of rural population2017: 57.1 % of rural population2018: 61.4 % of rural population2019: 65.8 % of rural population2020: 70.2 % of rural population2021: 74.5 % of rural population2022: 78.9 % of rural population2023: 83.2 % of rural population2024: 83.6 % of rural population

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia is 83.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 90.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia peaked at 83.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 41.6%, in 2010.

That places South Asia 7th out of 32 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.

People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia, year by year

Annual values for People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water, rural (% of rural population) in South Asia, 2010 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2010 41.6%
2011 42.0% +1.0%
2012 42.4% +1.0%
2013 43.6% +2.7%
2014 44.0% +0.9%
2015 48.4% +9.9%
2016 52.7% +9.0%
2017 57.1% +8.3%
2018 61.4% +7.6%
2019 65.8% +7.1%
2020 70.2% +6.6%
2021 74.5% +6.2%
2022 78.9% +5.8%
2023 83.2% +5.5%
2024 83.6% +0.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 49.9% 41.6% 65.8% 10
2020s 78.1% 70.2% 83.6% 5

Countries ranked near South Asia

  1. 4 Montenegro 99.3% compare
  2. 5 Philippines 98.9% compare
  3. 6 Kazakhstan 98.7% compare
  4. 7 Serbia 98.0% compare
  5. 8 Kyrgyzstan 97.3% compare
  6. 9 Iraq 96.9% compare
  7. 10 Saudi Arabia 96.6% compare

See the full ranking of 145 places →

More health data for South Asia

All data for South Asia →

Frequently asked questions

What is people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia?
People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia was 83.6% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water recorded in South Asia?
The highest recorded value was 83.6% in 2024.
What is the lowest people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water recorded in South Asia?
The lowest recorded value was 41.6% in 2010.
How does South Asia rank for people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water?
South Asia ranks 7th out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
Is people with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water rising or falling in South Asia?
Over the last ten years it is up 90.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Asia data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water in South Asia. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-with-basic-handwashing-facilities-including-soap-and-water-rural-percent-of-rural/south-asia/

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About this data

Indicator
People with basic handwashing facilities including soap and water, rural (% of rural population)
Unit
% of rural population
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
145 places, 2,094 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

The percentage of people living in households that have a handwashing facility with soap and water available on the premises. Handwashing facilities may be fixed or mobile and include a sink with tap water, buckets with taps, tippy-taps, and jugs or basins designated for handwashing. Soap includes bar soap, liquid soap, powder detergent, and soapy water but does not include ash, soil, sand or other handwashing agents.