Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 40.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone stood at 40.5%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone peaked at 67.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 40.5%, in 2024.
Sierra Leone ranks 23rd of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 62.5% | 57.5% | 67.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.3% | 46.3% | 56.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.8% | 40.5% | 45.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More reference data data for Sierra Leone
- Spring temperature anomalies 0.1247 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 0.8874 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month 0.2824 °C (2026)
- Universal right to vote in practice 2 (2025)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 0.1314 °C (2025)
- Winter temperature anomalies 0.1178 °C (2025)
- Consumer price index 771.75 2010 = 100 (2025)
- Universal right to vote 2 (2025)
- Competitive elections 0 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sierra Leone was 40.5% 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 Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 67.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.5% in 2024.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Sierra Leone ranks 23rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone 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.