Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Lesotho
Lesotho: Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population was 34.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population 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
In 2024, using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Lesotho stood at 34.7%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Lesotho peaked at 34.7% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 21.2%, in 2000.
Lesotho ranks 88th of 124 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 21.2% | — |
| 2001 | 21.9% | +3.0% |
| 2002 | 22.5% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 23.2% | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 23.9% | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 24.5% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 25.2% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 25.8% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 26.5% | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 27.1% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 27.8% | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 28.4% | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 29.1% | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 29.7% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 30.4% | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 31.1% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 31.7% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 32.5% | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 32.8% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | 33.1% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 33.5% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 33.8% | +0.9% |
| 2022 | 34.1% | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 34.4% | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 34.7% | +0.8% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 34.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.8%, 85% of the median. (29 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 34.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.1%, 1.2× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.2% | 21.2% | 27.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.7% | 27.8% | 33.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.1% | 33.5% | 34.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More population data for Lesotho
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3315 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1905 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.2% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 190,191 people (2100)
- Population density 107.36 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.2% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6353 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.5533 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Lesotho?
- Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population in Lesotho was 34.7% 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 using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 34.7% in 2024.
- What is the lowest using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.2% in 2000.
- How does Lesotho rank for using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population?
- Lesotho ranks 88th out of 124 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. 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 Using safely managed sanitation facilities: urban vs. rural population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities that are not shared with other households and where excreta are safely disposed in situ or transported and treated off-site.