Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia
Gambia: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 40.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia, 2000–2024
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 not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia is 40.1%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia peaked at 40.6% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 2000.
Gambia ranks 24th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.1% | — |
| 2001 | 15.5% | +9.9% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | +8.8% |
| 2003 | 18.3% | +8.0% |
| 2004 | 19.6% | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 20.9% | +6.8% |
| 2006 | 22.3% | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 23.5% | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 24.8% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 26.1% | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 27.3% | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 28.5% | +4.4% |
| 2012 | 29.7% | +4.2% |
| 2013 | 30.8% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 32.0% | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 34.2% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 35.3% | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 36.4% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 37.5% | +2.9% |
| 2020 | 38.5% | +2.8% |
| 2021 | 39.6% | +2.7% |
| 2022 | 40.6% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 40.3% | -0.7% |
| 2024 | 40.1% | -0.6% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 40.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 42.2%, 95% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 40.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.2% | 14.1% | 26.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.5% | 27.3% | 37.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.8% | 38.5% | 40.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More reference data data for Gambia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0121 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2798 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.3524 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0232 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.3524 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0407 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.0331 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1264 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia was 40.1% 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 not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 40.6% in 2022.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 2000.
- How does Gambia rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Gambia ranks 24th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Gambia 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 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.