People practicing open defecation in East Asia & Pacific
East Asia & Pacific: People practicing open defecation was 0.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People practicing open defecation in East Asia & Pacific, 2000–2024
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 East Asia & Pacific is 0.7%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 18.1% on the previous year and down 76.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in East Asia & Pacific peaked at 7.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2024.
East Asia & Pacific ranks 32nd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People practicing open defecation in East Asia & Pacific, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 7.2% | — |
| 2001 | 7.0% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 6.6% | -5.5% |
| 2003 | 6.3% | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 6.0% | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 5.7% | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 5.4% | -5.3% |
| 2007 | 5.1% | -5.5% |
| 2008 | 4.8% | -5.7% |
| 2009 | 4.5% | -6.0% |
| 2010 | 4.2% | -6.3% |
| 2011 | 3.9% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -8.0% |
| 2015 | 2.9% | -8.6% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -9.1% |
| 2018 | 2.1% | -11.1% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | -12.3% |
| 2020 | 1.6% | -13.8% |
| 2021 | 1.3% | -15.4% |
| 2022 | 1.1% | -16.4% |
| 2023 | 0.9% | -21.1% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -18.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.9% | 4.5% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.0% | 1.8% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.1% | 0.7% | 1.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near East Asia & Pacific
- 29 Zimbabwe 12.6% compare
- 30 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.7% compare
- 31 Afghanistan 11.2% compare
- 32 Micronesia, Federated States of 9.5% compare
- 33 Lao People's Democratic Republic 8.7% compare
- 34 Congo 8.4% compare
- 35 Pakistan 8.2% compare
More health data for East Asia & Pacific
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, annual growth rate 4.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per capita 0.0182 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 7.69 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0145 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 6.96 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 2.77 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in East Asia & Pacific?
- People practicing open defecation in East Asia & Pacific was 0.7% 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 East Asia & Pacific?
- The highest recorded value was 7.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in East Asia & Pacific?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2024.
- How does East Asia & Pacific rank for people practicing open defecation?
- East Asia & Pacific ranks 32nd out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in East Asia & Pacific?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this East Asia & Pacific 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.
Download this data
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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.