People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia
Somalia: People not using safely managed sanitation facilities was 15.89 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia, 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
The most recent figure for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia is 15.89 million people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 35.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia peaked at 15.89 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 8.20 million people, in 2000.
Somalia ranks 36th of 150 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.20 million people | — |
| 2001 | 8.51 million people | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 8.80 million people | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 9.10 million people | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 9.41 million people | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 9.70 million people | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 9.96 million people | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 10.29 million people | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 10.54 million people | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 10.75 million people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 10.96 million people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 10.98 million people | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 11.04 million people | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 11.36 million people | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 11.71 million people | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 12.07 million people | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 12.48 million people | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 12.92 million people | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 13.32 million people | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 13.75 million people | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 14.21 million people | +3.4% |
| 2021 | 14.67 million people | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 15.04 million people | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 15.43 million people | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 15.89 million people | +3.0% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 15.89 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 19.58 million people, 81% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 15.89 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16.78 million people, 95% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.53 million people | 8.20 million people | 10.75 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.06 million people | 10.96 million people | 13.75 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.05 million people | 14.21 million people | 15.89 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More reference data data for Somalia
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2685 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 1,290 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8842 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 0.4444 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0.0115 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural 11,378 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 3.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 40,976 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 42.94 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia?
- People not using safely managed sanitation facilities in Somalia was 15.89 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 not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 15.89 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using safely managed sanitation facilities recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.20 million people in 2000.
- How does Somalia rank for people not using safely managed sanitation facilities?
- Somalia ranks 36th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using safely managed sanitation facilities rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 35.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia 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 safely managed 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
People not using safely managed sanitation services might practice open defecation, use unimproved sanitation facilities, or use improved facilities that do not safely manage human waste.