People without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: People without basic handwashing facilities was 7.02 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone, 2004–2024
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 without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone is 7.02 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 18.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone peaked at 7.02 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.78 million people, in 2004.
Sierra Leone ranks 45th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
People without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 4.78 million people | — |
| 2005 | 4.91 million people | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 5.02 million people | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 5.12 million people | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 5.25 million people | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 5.36 million people | +2.1% |
| 2010 | 5.48 million people | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 5.59 million people | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 5.70 million people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 5.81 million people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 5.91 million people | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 6.02 million people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 6.12 million people | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 6.24 million people | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 6.35 million people | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 6.46 million people | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 6.57 million people | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 6.69 million people | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 6.80 million people | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 6.91 million people | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 7.02 million people | +1.6% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 7.02 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 15.87 million people, 44% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 7.02 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.17 million people, 53% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.07 million people | 4.78 million people | 5.36 million people | 6 |
| 2010s | 5.97 million people | 5.48 million people | 6.46 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.80 million people | 6.57 million people | 7.02 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 42 Egypt 8.97 million people compare
- 43 Togo 7.68 million people compare
- 44 Algeria 7.06 million people compare
- 46 Papua New Guinea 6.83 million people compare
- 47 Uzbekistan 6.67 million people compare
- 48 Dominican Republic 5.88 million people compare
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 without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone?
- People without basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone was 7.02 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 without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 7.02 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people without basic handwashing facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.78 million people in 2004.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for people without basic handwashing facilities?
- Sierra Leone ranks 45th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people without basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.8%. 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 without basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 21 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People without access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.