Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Somalia
Somalia: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 36.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Somalia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Somalia recorded 36.1% for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.0% on the previous year and down 24.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Somalia peaked at 67.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 36.1%, in 2024.
That places Somalia 31st out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 67.9% | — |
| 2001 | 66.5% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 65.2% | -2.0% |
| 2003 | 63.6% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 62.1% | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 60.6% | -2.5% |
| 2006 | 59.0% | -2.5% |
| 2007 | 59.4% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 57.5% | -3.3% |
| 2009 | 55.5% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 53.6% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 50.5% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 49.2% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 48.0% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 46.7% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 45.5% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 44.3% | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 43.1% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 41.9% | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 40.7% | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 39.5% | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 38.4% | -2.9% |
| 2023 | 37.3% | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 36.1% | -3.0% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 36.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 42.2%, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 36.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 36.6%, 99% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 61.7% | 55.5% | 67.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 47.5% | 41.9% | 53.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.4% | 36.1% | 40.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
More reference data data for Somalia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2637 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 10.39 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0493 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 10.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8842 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.3652 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 43.31 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2685 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Somalia?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Somalia was 36.1% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 67.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.1% in 2024.
- How does Somalia rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Somalia ranks 31st out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Somalia 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.