People practicing open defecation in Botswana

Botswana: People practicing open defecation was 5.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
5.4%
Change on year
down 7.7%
World rank
47th
of 214 countries
All-time high
21.9%
in 2000
All-time low
5.4%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation in Botswana, 2000–2024

51015202000201220242000: 21.9 % of population2001: 21 % of population2002: 20.3 % of population2003: 19.6 % of population2004: 18.9 % of population2005: 18.2 % of population2006: 17.5 % of population2007: 16.5 % of population2008: 15.5 % of population2009: 14.5 % of population2010: 13.6 % of population2011: 12.7 % of population2012: 12 % of population2013: 11.4 % of population2014: 10.8 % of population2015: 10.1 % of population2016: 9.5 % of population2017: 9 % of population2018: 8.4 % of population2019: 7.9 % of population2020: 7.3 % of population2021: 6.8 % of population2022: 6.3 % of population2023: 5.9 % of population2024: 5.4 % of population

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for people practicing open defecation in Botswana is 5.4%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.7% on the previous year and down 49.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Botswana peaked at 21.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5.4%, in 2024.

Botswana ranks 47th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

People practicing open defecation in Botswana, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Botswana, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of population Change
2000 21.9%
2001 21.0% -4.0%
2002 20.3% -3.5%
2003 19.6% -3.5%
2004 18.9% -3.6%
2005 18.2% -3.7%
2006 17.5% -3.8%
2007 16.5% -5.9%
2008 15.5% -6.0%
2009 14.5% -6.1%
2010 13.6% -6.3%
2011 12.7% -6.5%
2012 12.0% -5.5%
2013 11.4% -5.4%
2014 10.8% -5.6%
2015 10.1% -5.7%
2016 9.5% -5.9%
2017 9.0% -6.1%
2018 8.4% -6.3%
2019 7.9% -6.4%
2020 7.3% -6.6%
2021 6.8% -6.9%
2022 6.3% -7.1%
2023 5.9% -7.4%
2024 5.4% -7.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 18.4% 14.5% 21.9% 10
2010s 10.5% 7.9% 13.6% 10
2020s 6.4% 5.4% 7.3% 5

Countries ranked near Botswana

  1. 44 Senegal 6.1% compare
  2. 45 Kenya 5.9% compare
  3. 46 Dominica 5.6% compare
  4. 48 Cambodia 5.2% compare
  5. 49 Vanuatu 5.0% compare
  6. 50 Yemen 4.9% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Botswana

All data for Botswana →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation in Botswana?
People practicing open defecation in Botswana was 5.4% 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 Botswana?
The highest recorded value was 21.9% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Botswana?
The lowest recorded value was 5.4% in 2024.
How does Botswana rank for people practicing open defecation?
Botswana ranks 47th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Botswana?
Over the last ten years it is down 49.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Botswana 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 Botswana. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 24 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/botswana/

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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.