Malaysia vs South Africa: People practicing open defecation

Malaysia
0.3%
in 2016
South Africa
0.3%
in 2024
Malaysia rank
93rd
South Africa rank
95th

People practicing open defecation over time

  • Malaysia
  • South Africa
02.557.51012.5200020122024

How they compare

Malaysia currently reports 0.3% against 0.3% in South Africa, a difference of 0.0%.

That makes Malaysia's figure about 1.3 times South Africa's.

Across all 17 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.

Malaysia ranks 93rd and South Africa ranks 95th of 214 countries.

South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malaysia South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 1.1% 8.8% 7.7% South Africa
2010s 0.4% 4.3% 3.9% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people practicing open defecation, Malaysia or South Africa?
Malaysia, at 0.3% against 0.3% in South Africa as of 2016.
What is the difference in people practicing open defecation between Malaysia and South Africa?
0.0%, with Malaysia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malaysia and South Africa?
17 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2016.
How do Malaysia and South Africa rank globally for people practicing open defecation?
Malaysia ranks 93rd and South Africa ranks 95th of 214 countries.
Where does this data come from?
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as People practicing open defecation (% of population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malaysia vs South Africa: People practicing open defecation. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/compare/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/malaysia/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
People practicing open defecation (% of population)
Unit
% of population
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
261 places, 6,240 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.