People practicing open defecation in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC): People practicing open defecation was 15.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
15.5%
Change on year
down 5.1%
Rank
5th
of 45 groups
All-time high
36.5%
in 2000
All-time low
15.5%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 2000–2024

0102030402000201220242000: 36.5 % of population2001: 35.8 % of population2002: 34.9 % of population2003: 34.1 % of population2004: 33.3 % of population2005: 32.4 % of population2006: 31.4 % of population2007: 30.6 % of population2008: 29.6 % of population2009: 28.7 % of population2010: 27.8 % of population2011: 26.9 % of population2012: 26 % of population2013: 25.1 % of population2014: 24.2 % of population2015: 23.3 % of population2016: 22.4 % of population2017: 21.3 % of population2018: 20.5 % of population2019: 19.6 % of population2020: 18.8 % of population2021: 17.9 % of population2022: 17.1 % of population2023: 16.3 % of population2024: 15.5 % of population

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

Analysis

Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) recorded 15.5% for people practicing open defecation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 5.1% on the previous year and down 35.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) peaked at 36.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 2024.

That places Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 5th out of 45 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

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

People practicing open defecation in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 2000 to 2024.
Year % of population Change
2000 36.5%
2001 35.8% -2.0%
2002 34.9% -2.3%
2003 34.1% -2.4%
2004 33.3% -2.4%
2005 32.4% -2.8%
2006 31.4% -2.8%
2007 30.6% -2.8%
2008 29.6% -3.0%
2009 28.7% -3.1%
2010 27.8% -3.2%
2011 26.9% -3.3%
2012 26.0% -3.4%
2013 25.1% -3.4%
2014 24.2% -3.6%
2015 23.3% -3.7%
2016 22.4% -3.8%
2017 21.3% -4.7%
2018 20.5% -4.1%
2019 19.6% -4.2%
2020 18.8% -4.3%
2021 17.9% -4.5%
2022 17.1% -4.3%
2023 16.3% -4.8%
2024 15.5% -5.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 32.7% 28.7% 36.5% 10
2010s 23.7% 19.6% 27.8% 10
2020s 17.1% 15.5% 18.8% 5

Countries ranked near Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

  1. 2 Niger 66.0% compare
  2. 3 South Sudan 62.8% compare
  3. 4 Chad 62.2% compare
  4. 5 Benin 47.0% compare
  5. 6 Solomon Islands 45.3% compare
  6. 7 Namibia 34.7% compare
  7. 8 Liberia 33.9% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

All data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
People practicing open defecation in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) was 15.5% 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 Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
The highest recorded value was 36.5% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 2024.
How does Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) rank for people practicing open defecation?
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 5th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
Over the last ten years it is down 35.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 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 Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC). Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/heavily-indebted-poor-countries-hipc/

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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.