Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities was 18.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone, 2004–2024
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 with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone stood at 18.7%. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 33.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone peaked at 18.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 10.7%, in 2004.
That places Sierra Leone 106th out of 120 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 10.7% | — |
| 2005 | 10.8% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 10.8% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 10.9% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 10.9% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 11.5% | +4.8% |
| 2010 | 12.0% | +4.5% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | +4.3% |
| 2012 | 13.0% | +4.1% |
| 2013 | 13.5% | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 14.0% | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 14.5% | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 15.0% | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 15.5% | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 16.0% | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 16.4% | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 16.9% | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 17.4% | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 17.8% | +2.6% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | +2.5% |
| 2024 | 18.7% | +2.5% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 18.7% is below the median for low income countries, which is 19.4%, 97% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 18.7% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.2%, 84% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.9% | 10.7% | 11.5% | 6 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 12.0% | 16.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.8% | 16.9% | 18.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More population data for Sierra Leone
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.21 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 983,692 people (2100)
- Population density 220.76 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6516 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities in Sierra Leone was 18.7% 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 with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 18.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.7% in 2004.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities?
- Sierra Leone ranks 106th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population with access to basic handwashing facilities rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 with access to basic handwashing facilities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people with access to a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home.