People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho
Lesotho: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per was 22.51 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho, 2000–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho is 22.51 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 4.0% on the previous year and down 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho peaked at 46.39 people per square kilometre in 2000 and was at its lowest, 22.51 people per square kilometre, in 2023.
Lesotho ranks 25th of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 46.39 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2001 | 44.99 people per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 43.54 people per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 42.03 people per square kilometre | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 40.45 people per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 38.81 people per square kilometre | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 37.41 people per square kilometre | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 36.37 people per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 35.41 people per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 34.48 people per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 33.55 people per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 32.65 people per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 31.83 people per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 31.03 people per square kilometre | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 30.23 people per square kilometre | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 29.43 people per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 28.63 people per square kilometre | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 27.82 people per square kilometre | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 26.99 people per square kilometre | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 26.13 people per square kilometre | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 25.26 people per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 24.36 people per square kilometre | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 23.44 people per square kilometre | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 22.51 people per square kilometre | -4.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 22.51 people per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.83 people per square kilometre, 1.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 22.51 people per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 17.84 people per square kilometre, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.99 people per square kilometre | 34.48 people per square kilometre | 46.39 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.83 people per square kilometre | 26.13 people per square kilometre | 33.55 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.89 people per square kilometre | 22.51 people per square kilometre | 25.26 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 22 Cote d'Ivoire 25.15 people per square kilometre compare
- 23 Madagascar 23.54 people per square kilometre compare
- 24 Guatemala 23.4 people per square kilometre compare
- 26 Yemen 22.43 people per square kilometre compare
- 27 North Korea 21.75 people per square kilometre compare
- 28 Guinea 21.48 people per square kilometre 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 people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per in Lesotho was 22.51 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 46.39 people per square kilometre in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 22.51 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- How does Lesotho rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per?
- Lesotho ranks 25th out of 171 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.