People practicing open defecation in Congo

Congo: People practicing open defecation was 8.4% in 2021. ▬ Flat

Latest (2021)
8.4%
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
34th
of 214 countries
All-time high
8.7%
in 2016
All-time low
8.2%
in 2001
Years of data
22
2000–2021

People practicing open defecation in Congo, 2000–2021

024682000201020212000: 8.2 % of population2001: 8.2 % of population2002: 8.2 % of population2003: 8.3 % of population2004: 8.4 % of population2005: 8.4 % of population2006: 8.5 % of population2007: 8.5 % of population2008: 8.6 % of population2009: 8.6 % of population2010: 8.6 % of population2011: 8.7 % of population2012: 8.7 % of population2013: 8.7 % of population2014: 8.7 % of population2015: 8.7 % of population2016: 8.7 % of population2017: 8.7 % of population2018: 8.6 % of population2019: 8.5 % of population2020: 8.5 % of population2021: 8.4 % of population

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

Analysis

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 in Congo, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Congo, 2000 to 2021.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 31 Afghanistan 11.2% compare
  2. 32 Micronesia (Federated States of) 9.5% compare
  3. 33 Lao People's Democratic Republic 8.7% compare
  4. 35 Pakistan 8.2% compare
  5. 36 Timor-Leste 7.9% compare
  6. 37 Guinea-Bissau 7.7% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Congo

All data for Congo →

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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People practicing open defecation in Congo. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/congo-rep/

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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.