Sanitation facilities usage in Lesotho
Lesotho: Sanitation facilities usage was 345,039 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Sanitation facilities usage 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
Lesotho recorded 345,039 people for sanitation facilities usage in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.2% on the previous year and down 38.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, sanitation facilities usage in Lesotho peaked at 917,800 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 345,039 people, in 2024.
That places Lesotho 52nd out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Sanitation facilities usage in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 917,800 people | — |
| 2001 | 887,384 people | -3.3% |
| 2002 | 855,885 people | -3.5% |
| 2003 | 823,314 people | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 789,462 people | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 754,623 people | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 724,221 people | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 700,768 people | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 679,024 people | -3.1% |
| 2009 | 657,486 people | -3.2% |
| 2010 | 636,086 people | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 615,217 people | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 595,641 people | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 576,240 people | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 556,849 people | -3.4% |
| 2015 | 537,289 people | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 517,634 people | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 497,745 people | -3.8% |
| 2018 | 477,335 people | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 456,328 people | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 434,990 people | -4.7% |
| 2021 | 413,141 people | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 390,676 people | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 367,991 people | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 345,039 people | -6.2% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 345,039 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 585,262 people, 59% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 345,039 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.31 million people, 26% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 778,997 people | 657,486 people | 917,800 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 546,636 people | 456,328 people | 636,086 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 390,367 people | 345,039 people | 434,990 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 sanitation facilities usage in Lesotho?
- Sanitation facilities usage in Lesotho was 345,039 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 sanitation facilities usage recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 917,800 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest sanitation facilities usage recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 345,039 people in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for sanitation facilities usage?
- Lesotho ranks 52nd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is sanitation facilities usage rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.0%. 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 Sanitation facilities usage. 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
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.