People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: People using at least basic sanitation facilities was 22.03 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka, 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
The most recent figure for people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka is 22.03 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 15.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka peaked at 22.03 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 14.82 million people, in 2000.
Sri Lanka ranks 48th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.82 million people | — |
| 2001 | 15.21 million people | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 15.53 million people | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 15.80 million people | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 16.07 million people | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 16.34 million people | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 16.61 million people | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 16.90 million people | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 17.18 million people | +1.7% |
| 2009 | 17.45 million people | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 17.73 million people | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 18.01 million people | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 18.33 million people | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 18.67 million people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 19.02 million people | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 19.36 million people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 19.71 million people | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 20.05 million people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 20.39 million people | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 20.73 million people | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 21.06 million people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 21.39 million people | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 21.68 million people | +1.4% |
| 2023 | 21.90 million people | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 22.03 million people | +0.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 22.03 million people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6.56 million people, 3.4× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 22.03 million people is below the median for South Asia, which is 23.77 million people, 93% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.19 million people | 14.82 million people | 17.45 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.20 million people | 17.73 million people | 20.73 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.61 million people | 21.06 million people | 22.03 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 45 Afghanistan 23.24 million people compare
- 46 Kenya 23.07 million people compare
- 47 North Korea 22.41 million people compare
- 49 Kazakhstan 20.17 million people compare
- 50 Chile 19.66 million people compare
- 51 Angola 17.92 million people compare
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka?
- People using at least basic sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka was 22.03 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 22.03 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic sanitation facilities recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.82 million people in 2000.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for people using at least basic sanitation facilities?
- Sri Lanka ranks 48th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.