Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho
Lesotho: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 19.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho is 19.7%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and down 42.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho peaked at 54.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 19.7%, in 2024.
Lesotho ranks 29th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 54.8% | — |
| 2001 | 53.3% | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 51.9% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 50.4% | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 49.0% | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 47.5% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 46.0% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 44.6% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 43.1% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 41.6% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 40.2% | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 38.7% | -3.6% |
| 2012 | 37.3% | -3.8% |
| 2013 | 35.8% | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 34.3% | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 32.9% | -4.3% |
| 2016 | 31.4% | -4.4% |
| 2017 | 29.9% | -4.7% |
| 2018 | 28.5% | -4.9% |
| 2019 | 27.0% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 25.6% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 24.1% | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 22.6% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 21.2% | -6.5% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | -6.9% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 19.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.0%, 1.8× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 19.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 48.2% | 41.6% | 54.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.6% | 27.0% | 40.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.6% | 19.7% | 25.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 26 Mozambique 23.5% compare
- 27 Congo 23.0% compare
- 28 Ethiopia 20.4% compare
- 30 Democratic Republic of Congo 18.8% compare
- 31 Zimbabwe 18.8% compare
- 32 Marshall Islands 18.7% compare
More reference data data for Lesotho
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0331 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.5388 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0101 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1115 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 2.48 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0549 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Lesotho was 19.7% 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 open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 54.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 19.7% in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Lesotho ranks 29th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho 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 Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas. 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
Share of people who practice open defecation. This includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.