People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho
Lesotho: People using at least basic sanitation facilities was 1.12 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho stood at 1.12 million people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 3.9% on the previous year and up 55.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho peaked at 1.12 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 278,764 people, in 2000.
That places Lesotho 151st out of 232 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.
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 278,764 people | — |
| 2001 | 310,047 people | +11.2% |
| 2002 | 340,528 people | +9.8% |
| 2003 | 369,596 people | +8.5% |
| 2004 | 397,221 people | +7.5% |
| 2005 | 423,239 people | +6.6% |
| 2006 | 450,757 people | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 481,594 people | +6.8% |
| 2008 | 513,739 people | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 546,304 people | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 579,322 people | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 613,244 people | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 648,117 people | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 683,928 people | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 720,620 people | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 758,066 people | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 796,428 people | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 835,592 people | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 875,156 people | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 914,896 people | +4.5% |
| 2020 | 955,291 people | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 995,901 people | +4.3% |
| 2022 | 1.04 million people | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 1.08 million people | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 1.12 million people | +3.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.12 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 7.53 million people, 15% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.12 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.62 million people, 24% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 411,179 people | 278,764 people | 546,304 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 742,537 people | 579,322 people | 914,896 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.04 million people | 955,291 people | 1.12 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More reference data data for Lesotho
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0331 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5388 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0101 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1115 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0549 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho?
- People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Lesotho was 1.12 million people 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 people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.12 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 278,764 people in 2000.
- How does Lesotho rank for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- Lesotho ranks 151st out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic sanitation facilities rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 People using at least basic 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
Number of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households.