Share of people practicing open defecation in Lesotho
Lesotho: Share of people practicing open defecation was 14.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Lesotho, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Lesotho recorded 14.8% for share of people practicing open defecation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 7.3% on the previous year and down 44.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Lesotho peaked at 45.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 2024.
That places Lesotho 27th 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.4% | 33.2% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.2% | 20.7% | 31.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.1% | 14.8% | 19.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 25 Papua New Guinea 15.6% compare
- 26 Sierra Leone 15.3% compare
- 28 Somalia 14.4% compare
- 29 Zimbabwe 12.6% compare
- 30 Democratic Republic of Congo 11.7% compare
More population data for Lesotho
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Population density 107.36 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 190,191 people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 2.66 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 2.66 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 419 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 2.66 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 2.69 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 2.41 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Lesotho?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Lesotho was 14.8% 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 people practicing open defecation recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 45.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Lesotho ranks 27th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 44.9%. 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 people practicing open defecation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of people who practice open defecation. This includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.