People using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho
Lesotho: People using improved sanitation facilities was 1.57 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using improved sanitation facilities 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 people.
Analysis
In 2024, people using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho stood at 1.57 million people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.1% on the previous year and up 57.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho peaked at 1.57 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 400,764 people, in 2000.
That places Lesotho 148th out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 400,764 people | — |
| 2001 | 441,002 people | +10.0% |
| 2002 | 480,336 people | +8.9% |
| 2003 | 518,480 people | +7.9% |
| 2004 | 554,990 people | +7.0% |
| 2005 | 589,631 people | +6.2% |
| 2006 | 626,732 people | +6.3% |
| 2007 | 668,368 people | +6.6% |
| 2008 | 712,121 people | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 756,742 people | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 802,294 people | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 849,404 people | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 897,499 people | +5.7% |
| 2013 | 947,151 people | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 998,289 people | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 1.05 million people | +5.3% |
| 2016 | 1.10 million people | +5.1% |
| 2017 | 1.16 million people | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 1.22 million people | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 1.27 million people | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 1.33 million people | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 1.39 million people | +4.4% |
| 2022 | 1.45 million people | +4.2% |
| 2023 | 1.51 million people | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 1.57 million people | +4.1% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 1.57 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.20 million people, 15% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 1.57 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 7.64 million people, 21% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 574,917 people | 400,764 people | 756,742 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.03 million people | 802,294 people | 1.27 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.45 million people | 1.33 million people | 1.57 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More population data for Lesotho
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3315 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6353 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 3.4 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho?
- People using improved sanitation facilities in Lesotho was 1.57 million people 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 people using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 1.57 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using improved sanitation facilities recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 400,764 people in 2000.
- How does Lesotho rank for people using improved sanitation facilities?
- Lesotho ranks 148th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using improved sanitation facilities rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 People using improved sanitation facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people using improved sanitation facilities, regardless of whether they are shared with other households.