People not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: People not using improved sanitation facilities was 60,195 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
60,195 people
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
108th
of 232 countries
All-time high
2.29 million people
in 2000
All-time low
59,222 people
in 2023
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka, 2000–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M2000201220242000: 2.3M people2001: 2.2M people2002: 2.1M people2003: 2.1M people2004: 2.0M people2005: 1.9M people2006: 1.8M people2007: 1.7M people2008: 1.6M people2009: 1.5M people2010: 1.4M people2011: 1.3M people2012: 1.2M people2013: 1.1M people2014: 951.7k people2015: 843.6k people2016: 733.6k people2017: 621.6k people2018: 507.6k people2019: 391.8k people2020: 274.6k people2021: 156.0k people2022: 66.6k people2023: 59.2k people2024: 60.2k people

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 not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka stood at 60,195 people.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 93.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka peaked at 2.29 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 59,222 people, in 2023.

Sri Lanka ranks 108th 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 1.90 million people 1.47 million people 2.29 million people 10
2010s 890,123 people 391,846 people 1.37 million people 10
2020s 123,324 people 59,222 people 274,609 people 5

Countries ranked near Sri Lanka

  1. 105 Tajikistan 72,720 people compare
  2. 106 Japan 70,151 people compare
  3. 107 Lithuania 61,535 people compare
  4. 109 Azerbaijan 59,330 people compare
  5. 110 Sweden 58,842 people compare
  6. 111 Cape Verde 52,852 people compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More reference data data for Sri Lanka

All data for Sri Lanka →

Frequently asked questions

What is people not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka?
People not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka was 60,195 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 Sri Lanka?
The highest recorded value was 2.29 million people in 2000.
What is the lowest people not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sri Lanka?
The lowest recorded value was 59,222 people in 2023.
How does Sri Lanka rank for people not using improved sanitation facilities?
Sri Lanka ranks 108th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
Is people not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
Over the last ten years it is down 93.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
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 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

Indicator
People not using improved sanitation facilities
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,597 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.