Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho

Lesotho: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 32.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
32.8%
Change on year
down 5.5%
World rank
35th
of 232 countries
All-time high
80.0%
in 2000
All-time low
32.8%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

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

0204060802000201220242000: 80 %2001: 78 %2002: 75.9 %2003: 73.9 %2004: 71.8 %2005: 69.8 %2006: 67.8 %2007: 65.8 %2008: 63.8 %2009: 61.8 %2010: 59.8 %2011: 57.8 %2012: 55.9 %2013: 53.9 %2014: 52 %2015: 50.1 %2016: 48.1 %2017: 46.2 %2018: 44.3 %2019: 42.4 %2020: 40.4 %2021: 38.5 %2022: 36.6 %2023: 34.7 %2024: 32.8 %

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Lesotho recorded 32.8% for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 5.5% on the previous year and down 37.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho peaked at 80.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 32.8%, in 2024.

Lesotho ranks 35th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 70.9% 61.8% 80.0% 10
2010s 51.1% 42.4% 59.8% 10
2020s 36.6% 32.8% 40.4% 5

Countries ranked near Lesotho

  1. 32 Cameroon 35.4% compare
  2. 33 Zimbabwe 34.3% compare
  3. 34 Yemen 33.0% compare
  4. 36 Mali 32.4% compare
  5. 37 Mauritania 31.9% compare
  6. 38 Kenya 31.6% compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More reference data data for Lesotho

All data for Lesotho →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho?
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho was 32.8% 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 not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
The highest recorded value was 80.0% in 2000.
What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
The lowest recorded value was 32.8% in 2024.
How does Lesotho rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
Lesotho ranks 35th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Lesotho?
Over the last ten years it is down 37.0%. 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 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.