People not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 3.50 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using improved 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
The most recent figure for people not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone is 3.50 million people, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone peaked at 3.58 million people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 2.98 million people, in 2000.
That places Sierra Leone 46th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.98 million people | — |
| 2001 | 3.11 million people | +4.4% |
| 2002 | 3.24 million people | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 3.32 million people | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 3.38 million people | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 3.41 million people | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 3.42 million people | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.44 million people | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 3.46 million people | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 3.48 million people | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 3.51 million people | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 3.53 million people | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 3.55 million people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 3.56 million people | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 3.57 million people | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 3.57 million people | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 3.58 million people | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 3.58 million people | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.58 million people | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.58 million people | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 3.57 million people | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 3.56 million people | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 3.54 million people | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 3.52 million people | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 3.50 million people | -0.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 3.50 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 7.92 million people, 44% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 3.50 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.36 million people, 65% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.32 million people | 2.98 million people | 3.48 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.56 million people | 3.51 million people | 3.58 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.54 million people | 3.50 million people | 3.57 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 not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone?
- People not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone was 3.50 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 not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 3.58 million people in 2017.
- What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.98 million people in 2000.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Sierra Leone ranks 46th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 not using improved 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
If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.