Share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation was 96.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation 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 96.9% for share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation in Sri Lanka peaked at 96.9% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 75.4%, in 2000.
That places Sri Lanka 80th out of 186 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.
Share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 75.4% | — |
| 2001 | 76.3% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 77.2% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 78.1% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 79.1% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 80.0% | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 80.9% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 81.8% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 82.7% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 83.6% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 84.6% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 85.5% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 86.4% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 87.3% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 88.3% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 89.2% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 90.2% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 91.1% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 92.1% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 93.0% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 94.0% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 94.9% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 95.9% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 96.9% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 96.9% | +0.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 96.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 95.8%, 1.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 96.9% is above the median for South Asia, which is 85.6%, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 79.5% | 75.4% | 83.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 88.8% | 84.6% | 93.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.7% | 94.0% | 96.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 77 Luxembourg 97.5% compare
- 78 Kazakhstan 97.1% compare
- 79 Panama 96.9% compare
- 81 Anguilla 96.7% compare
- 82 Kyrgyzstan 96.6% compare
- 83 Jordan 96.6% compare
More population data for Sri Lanka
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.0083 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5555 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 901,396 people (2100)
- Population density 343.51 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6507 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.1332 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation in Sri Lanka?
- Share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation in Sri Lanka was 96.9% 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 urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 75.4% in 2000.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation?
- Sri Lanka ranks 80th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 urban vs. rural population using at least basic sanitation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people using improved sanitation facilities, such as toilets or latrines, that are not shared with other households.