Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Lesotho

Lesotho: Share of population using safely managed sanitation was 43.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
43.8%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
98th
of 150 countries
All-time high
43.8%
in 2024
All-time low
12.9%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Lesotho, 2000–2024

102030402000201220242000: 12.9 %2001: 14.4 %2002: 16 %2003: 17.4 %2004: 18.9 %2005: 20.4 %2006: 21.8 %2007: 23.2 %2008: 24.6 %2009: 25.9 %2010: 27.3 %2011: 28.6 %2012: 30 %2013: 31.3 %2014: 32.6 %2015: 33.9 %2016: 35.2 %2017: 36.4 %2018: 37.6 %2019: 38.7 %2020: 39.7 %2021: 40.8 %2022: 41.8 %2023: 42.8 %2024: 43.8 %

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 share of population using safely managed sanitation in Lesotho is 43.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 34.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population using safely managed sanitation in Lesotho peaked at 43.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 12.9%, in 2000.

Lesotho ranks 98th of 150 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 19.5% 12.9% 25.9% 10
2010s 33.2% 27.3% 38.7% 10
2020s 41.8% 39.7% 43.8% 5

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 95 Cuba 45.9% compare
  2. 96 Vietnam 45.4% compare
  3. 97 Samoa 44.1% compare
  4. 99 Guyana 43.4% compare
  5. 100 Yemen 43.1% compare
  6. 101 Dominican Republic 43.0% compare

See the full ranking of 150 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population using safely managed sanitation in Lesotho?
Share of population using safely managed sanitation in Lesotho was 43.8% 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 share of population using safely managed sanitation recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 43.8% in 2024.
What is the lowest share of population using safely managed sanitation recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 12.9% in 2000.
How does Lesotho rank for share of population using safely managed sanitation?
Lesotho ranks 98th out of 150 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of population using safely managed sanitation rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is up 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
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 Share of population using safely managed sanitation. 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

Indicator
Share of population using safely managed sanitation
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
150 places, 3,667 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.