People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho
Lesotho: People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities was 654,622 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities 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 people.
Analysis
In 2024, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho stood at 654,622 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 4.2% on the previous year and down 28.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho peaked at 1.41 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 654,622 people, in 2024.
Lesotho ranks 65th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.41 million people | — |
| 2001 | 1.37 million people | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 1.32 million people | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 1.28 million people | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 1.23 million people | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 1.18 million people | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 1.14 million people | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 1.10 million people | -2.8% |
| 2008 | 1.08 million people | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 1.05 million people | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 1.02 million people | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 991,221 people | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 966,461 people | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 942,110 people | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 917,912 people | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 893,587 people | -2.7% |
| 2016 | 869,271 people | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 844,740 people | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 819,498 people | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 793,408 people | -3.2% |
| 2020 | 766,920 people | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 739,715 people | -3.5% |
| 2022 | 711,591 people | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 683,254 people | -4.0% |
| 2024 | 654,622 people | -4.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 654,622 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.54 million people, 42% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 654,622 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.04 million people, 13% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.21 million people | 1.05 million people | 1.41 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 905,672 people | 793,408 people | 1.02 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 711,220 people | 654,622 people | 766,920 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
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 in Lesotho?
- People in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho was 654,622 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 in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.41 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 654,622 people in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Lesotho ranks 65th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.7%. 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 People in rural areas 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.