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

Latest (2024)
40.1%
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
24th
of 232 countries
All-time high
40.6%
in 2022
All-time low
14.1%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Gambia, 2000–2024

102030402000201220242000: 14.1 %2001: 15.5 %2002: 16.9 %2003: 18.3 %2004: 19.6 %2005: 20.9 %2006: 22.3 %2007: 23.5 %2008: 24.8 %2009: 26.1 %2010: 27.3 %2011: 28.5 %2012: 29.7 %2013: 30.8 %2014: 32 %2015: 33.1 %2016: 34.2 %2017: 35.3 %2018: 36.4 %2019: 37.5 %2020: 38.5 %2021: 39.6 %2022: 40.6 %2023: 40.3 %2024: 40.1 %

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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 21 Tanzania 42.4% compare
  2. 22 Burundi 42.2% compare
  3. 23 Sierra Leone 40.5% compare
  4. 25 Zambia 39.9% compare
  5. 26 Greenland 37.5% compare
  6. 27 Guinea 37.3% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More reference data data for Gambia

All data for Gambia →

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

Indicator
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities
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
232 places, 5,597 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

If no improved sanitation facility is available, people might practice open defecation or use unimproved sanitation facilities.