People practicing open defecation in Benin

Benin: People practicing open defecation was 47.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
47.0%
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
5th
of 214 countries
All-time high
68.2%
in 2000
All-time low
47.0%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation in Benin, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 68.2 % of population2001: 67.3 % of population2002: 66.4 % of population2003: 65.5 % of population2004: 64.5 % of population2005: 63.6 % of population2006: 62.7 % of population2007: 61.8 % of population2008: 60.9 % of population2009: 60 % of population2010: 59.1 % of population2011: 58.2 % of population2012: 57.3 % of population2013: 56.4 % of population2014: 55.5 % of population2015: 54.7 % of population2016: 53.8 % of population2017: 52.9 % of population2018: 52.1 % of population2019: 51.2 % of population2020: 50.4 % of population2021: 49.5 % of population2022: 48.7 % of population2023: 47.9 % of population2024: 47 % of population

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.

Analysis

In 2024, people practicing open defecation in Benin stood at 47.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 15.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Benin peaked at 68.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 2024.

Benin ranks 5th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

People practicing open defecation in Benin, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Benin, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of population Change
2000 68.2%
2001 67.3% -1.3%
2002 66.4% -1.3%
2003 65.5% -1.4%
2004 64.5% -1.4%
2005 63.6% -1.4%
2006 62.7% -1.4%
2007 61.8% -1.5%
2008 60.9% -1.5%
2009 60.0% -1.5%
2010 59.1% -1.5%
2011 58.2% -1.5%
2012 57.3% -1.5%
2013 56.4% -1.5%
2014 55.5% -1.6%
2015 54.7% -1.6%
2016 53.8% -1.6%
2017 52.9% -1.6%
2018 52.1% -1.6%
2019 51.2% -1.6%
2020 50.4% -1.7%
2021 49.5% -1.7%
2022 48.7% -1.7%
2023 47.9% -1.7%
2024 47.0% -1.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 64.1% 60.0% 68.2% 10
2010s 55.1% 51.2% 59.1% 10
2020s 48.7% 47.0% 50.4% 5

Countries ranked near Benin

  1. 2 Niger 66.0% compare
  2. 3 South Sudan 62.8% compare
  3. 4 Chad 62.2% compare
  4. 6 Solomon Islands 45.3% compare
  5. 7 Namibia 34.7% compare
  6. 8 Liberia 33.9% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Benin

All data for Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation in Benin?
People practicing open defecation in Benin was 47.0% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest people practicing open defecation recorded in Benin?
The highest recorded value was 68.2% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Benin?
The lowest recorded value was 47.0% in 2024.
How does Benin rank for people practicing open defecation?
Benin ranks 5th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Benin?
Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Benin data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People practicing open defecation (% of population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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People practicing open defecation in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 27 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/benin/

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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.