People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4 in India

India: People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4 was 11.8% in 2017. ▼ Falling

Latest (2017)
11.8%
Change on year
down 15.0%
World rank
12th
of 97 countries
All-time high
38.9%
in 2000
All-time low
11.8%
in 2017
Years of data
18
2000–2017

People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4 in India, 2000–2017

102030402000200820172000: 38.92001: 38.92002: 38.92003: 38.92004: 38.92005: 36.82006: 34.72007: 32.62008: 30.52009: 28.52010: 26.42011: 24.32012: 22.22013: 20.12014: 18.12015: 162016: 13.92017: 11.8

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org).

Analysis

India recorded 11.8% for people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 in 2017. That is the lowest value across all 18 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.0% on the previous year and down 63.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 in India peaked at 38.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 2017.

India ranks 12th of 97 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 18 years of available data.

People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4 in India, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4 in India, 2000 to 2017.
Year Value Change
2000 38.9%
2001 38.9% +0.0%
2002 38.9% +0.0%
2003 38.9% +0.0%
2004 38.9% +0.0%
2005 36.8% -5.4%
2006 34.7% -5.7%
2007 32.6% -6.0%
2008 30.5% -6.4%
2009 28.5% -6.8%
2010 26.4% -7.3%
2011 24.3% -7.9%
2012 22.2% -8.6%
2013 20.1% -9.4%
2014 18.1% -10.3%
2015 16.0% -11.5%
2016 13.9% -13.0%
2017 11.8% -15.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 35.7% 28.5% 38.9% 10
2010s 19.1% 11.8% 26.4% 8

Countries ranked near India

  1. 9 Nigeria 18.0% compare
  2. 10 Ethiopia 16.4% compare
  3. 11 Namibia 12.1% compare
  4. 13 Sudan 10.6% compare
  5. 14 Sierra Leone 9.4% compare
  6. 15 Yemen 9.0% compare

See the full ranking of 97 places →

More health data for India

All data for India →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 in India?
People practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 in India was 11.8% in 2017, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org).
What is the highest people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 recorded in India?
The highest recorded value was 38.9% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 recorded in India?
The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 2017.
How does India rank for people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4?
India ranks 12th out of 97 countries with data for 2017.
Is people practicing open defecation (% of population): q4 rising or falling in India?
Over the last ten years it is down 63.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this India data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org), published as part of People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4 in India. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population-q4/india/

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About this data

Indicator
People practicing open defecation (% of population): Q4
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (washdata.org)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
97 places, 1,672 data points, 2000–2017
Last refreshed