People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Congo
Congo: People practicing open defecation (% of population) was 8.4% in 2021. ▬ Flat
People practicing open defecation in Congo, 2000–2021
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Congo recorded 8.4% for people practicing open defecation in 2021.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 3.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Congo peaked at 8.7% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 8.2%, in 2001.
That places Congo 34th out of 214 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Congo, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.2% | — |
| 2001 | 8.2% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 8.2% | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 8.3% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 8.4% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 8.4% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 8.5% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 8.5% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 8.6% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 8.6% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 8.7% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 8.7% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 8.7% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 8.7% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 8.7% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 8.7% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 8.7% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.6% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 8.5% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 8.5% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 8.4% | -1.2% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 8.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 1.2× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 8.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 69% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.4% | 8.2% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.7% | 8.5% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.5% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Congo
- 31 Afghanistan 11.2% compare
- 32 Micronesia (country) 9.5% compare
- 33 Laos 8.7% compare
- 35 Pakistan 8.2% compare
- 36 East Timor 7.9% compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 7.7% compare
More health data for Congo
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.4813 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9705 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 2,688 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 11 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.44 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0695 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0709 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in Congo?
- People practicing open defecation in Congo was 8.4% in 2021, 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 8.7% in 2016.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.2% in 2001.
- How does Congo rank for people practicing open defecation?
- Congo ranks 34th out of 214 countries with data for 2021.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Congo 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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About this data
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.