People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Liberia
Liberia: People practicing open defecation (% of population) was 33.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation in Liberia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
In 2024, people practicing open defecation in Liberia stood at 33.9%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.6% on the previous year and down 20.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Liberia peaked at 54.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 33.9%, in 2024.
That places Liberia 8th out of 214 countries 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 (% of population) in Liberia, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 54.4% | — |
| 2001 | 53.6% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 52.7% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 51.9% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 51.1% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 50.2% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 49.4% | -1.7% |
| 2007 | 48.6% | -1.7% |
| 2008 | 47.7% | -1.7% |
| 2009 | 46.9% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 46.1% | -1.8% |
| 2011 | 45.2% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 44.4% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 43.5% | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 42.7% | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 41.8% | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 40.9% | -2.1% |
| 2017 | 40.1% | -2.1% |
| 2018 | 39.2% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 38.3% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 37.5% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 36.6% | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 35.7% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 34.8% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 33.9% | -2.6% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 33.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.4%, 2.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 33.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 2.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50.6% | 46.9% | 54.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.2% | 38.3% | 46.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.7% | 33.9% | 37.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
More health data for Liberia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.57 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7528 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 3,457 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.068 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0699 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in Liberia?
- People practicing open defecation in Liberia was 33.9% 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 Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 54.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.9% in 2024.
- How does Liberia rank for people practicing open defecation?
- Liberia ranks 8th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Liberia 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.