Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Lesotho
Lesotho: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 12.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources 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
The most recent figure for share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Lesotho is 12.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.4% on the previous year and down 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Lesotho peaked at 23.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.6%, in 2024.
That places Lesotho 37th out of 231 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.
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 23.9% | — |
| 2001 | 23.4% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 22.9% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 21.9% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 21.4% | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 20.9% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 20.4% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 19.9% | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 19.4% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 18.9% | -2.5% |
| 2011 | 18.5% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 18.0% | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 17.5% | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 17.1% | -2.6% |
| 2015 | 16.6% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 16.2% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 15.7% | -2.8% |
| 2018 | 15.3% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 14.4% | -3.0% |
| 2021 | 14.0% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 13.5% | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 13.1% | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 12.6% | -3.4% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 12.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.0%, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 12.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.8%, 85% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.6% | 19.4% | 23.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.9% | 14.8% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.5% | 12.6% | 14.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More environment data for Lesotho
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.284 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.783 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.521 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4197 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Lesotho?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Lesotho was 12.6% 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 not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 23.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.6% in 2024.
- How does Lesotho rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Lesotho ranks 37th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is down 26.2%. 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 population not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Proportion of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.