People practicing open defecation in Latin America & Caribbean
Latin America & Caribbean: People practicing open defecation was 0.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People practicing open defecation in Latin America & Caribbean, 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 Latin America & Caribbean is 0.7%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 38.6% on the previous year and down 81.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Latin America & Caribbean peaked at 9.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2024.
Latin America & Caribbean ranks 34th 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 Latin America & Caribbean, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.7% | — |
| 2001 | 9.3% | -4.8% |
| 2002 | 8.8% | -4.9% |
| 2003 | 8.4% | -5.1% |
| 2004 | 7.9% | -5.3% |
| 2005 | 7.5% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | -10.4% |
| 2007 | 6.3% | -5.9% |
| 2008 | 5.9% | -6.1% |
| 2009 | 5.5% | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 5.2% | -6.8% |
| 2011 | 4.8% | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 4.4% | -7.6% |
| 2013 | 4.1% | -8.1% |
| 2014 | 3.7% | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 3.5% | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 3.1% | -10.3% |
| 2017 | 2.8% | -11.3% |
| 2018 | 2.5% | -11.8% |
| 2019 | 2.1% | -13.3% |
| 2020 | 1.9% | -12.5% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -15.1% |
| 2022 | 1.3% | -20.1% |
| 2023 | 1.1% | -9.9% |
| 2024 | 0.7% | -38.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.6% | 5.5% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.6% | 2.1% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.3% | 0.7% | 1.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latin America & Caribbean
- 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
- 36 Timor-Leste 7.9% compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 7.7% compare
More health data for Latin America & Caribbean
- Population ages 50-54, female, per capita 0.0298 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 65 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, annual growth rate 3.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.015 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per capita 0.0168 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 65-69, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 3.74 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in Latin America & Caribbean?
- People practicing open defecation in Latin America & Caribbean 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 Latin America & Caribbean?
- The highest recorded value was 9.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Latin America & Caribbean?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2024.
- How does Latin America & Caribbean rank for people practicing open defecation?
- Latin America & Caribbean ranks 34th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Latin America & Caribbean?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latin America & Caribbean 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.