People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: People using at least basic sanitation facilities was 2.15 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone, 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
Sierra Leone recorded 2.15 million people for people using at least basic sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 6.5% on the previous year and up 97.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone peaked at 2.15 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 340,383 people, in 2000.
Sierra Leone ranks 135th of 232 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 340,383 people | — |
| 2001 | 371,953 people | +9.3% |
| 2002 | 405,583 people | +9.0% |
| 2003 | 434,457 people | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 479,312 people | +10.3% |
| 2005 | 524,789 people | +9.5% |
| 2006 | 571,257 people | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 620,677 people | +8.7% |
| 2008 | 675,270 people | +8.8% |
| 2009 | 734,927 people | +8.8% |
| 2010 | 798,855 people | +8.7% |
| 2011 | 866,123 people | +8.4% |
| 2012 | 937,039 people | +8.2% |
| 2013 | 1.01 million people | +8.0% |
| 2014 | 1.09 million people | +7.8% |
| 2015 | 1.17 million people | +7.5% |
| 2016 | 1.26 million people | +7.5% |
| 2017 | 1.35 million people | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 1.45 million people | +7.2% |
| 2019 | 1.55 million people | +7.1% |
| 2020 | 1.66 million people | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 1.78 million people | +6.9% |
| 2022 | 1.90 million people | +6.7% |
| 2023 | 2.02 million people | +6.6% |
| 2024 | 2.15 million people | +6.5% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 2.15 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 8.45 million people, 25% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2.15 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.62 million people, 47% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 515,861 people | 340,383 people | 734,927 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.15 million people | 798,855 people | 1.55 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.90 million people | 1.66 million people | 2.15 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More reference data data for Sierra Leone
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0238 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0797 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6534 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone?
- People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone was 2.15 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 2.15 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 340,383 people in 2000.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- Sierra Leone ranks 135th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 97.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.