Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities was 0.3% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 0.3% for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in 2024.
The figure is up 1.1% on the previous year and down 94.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka peaked at 11.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 2023.
That places Sri Lanka 159th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.9% | — |
| 2001 | 11.3% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 10.8% | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 10.3% | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 9.8% | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | -5.8% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -6.5% |
| 2009 | 7.1% | -7.0% |
| 2010 | 6.6% | -7.5% |
| 2011 | 6.0% | -8.1% |
| 2012 | 5.5% | -8.9% |
| 2013 | 5.0% | -9.7% |
| 2014 | 4.4% | -10.8% |
| 2015 | 3.9% | -12.1% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | -13.8% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | -15.9% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -18.9% |
| 2019 | 1.7% | -23.3% |
| 2020 | 1.2% | -30.4% |
| 2021 | 0.7% | -43.5% |
| 2022 | 0.3% | -57.5% |
| 2023 | 0.3% | -11.6% |
| 2024 | 0.3% | +1.1% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 0.3% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.6%, 10% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 0.3% is below the median for South Asia, which is 2.3%, 11% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -57.5% | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| 2021 | -43.5% | 1.2% | 0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.5% | 7.1% | 11.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.1% | 1.7% | 6.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5% | 0.3% | 1.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 156 Palestine 0.3% compare
- 157 Guadeloupe 0.3% compare
- 158 South Korea 0.3% compare
- 160 Northern Mariana Islands 0.2% compare
- 161 Belarus 0.2% compare
- 162 Saudi Arabia 0.2% compare
More reference data data for Sri Lanka
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.316 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1784 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.33 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.539 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1604 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9713 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka?
- Share of population not using improved sanitation facilities in Sri Lanka was 0.3% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 11.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of population not using improved sanitation facilities?
- Sri Lanka ranks 159th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 94.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.
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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.