People practicing open defecation in Liberia

Liberia: People practicing open defecation was 33.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
33.9%
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
8th
of 214 countries
All-time high
54.4%
in 2000
All-time low
33.9%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation in Liberia, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 54.4 % of population2001: 53.6 % of population2002: 52.7 % of population2003: 51.9 % of population2004: 51.1 % of population2005: 50.2 % of population2006: 49.4 % of population2007: 48.6 % of population2008: 47.7 % of population2009: 46.9 % of population2010: 46.1 % of population2011: 45.2 % of population2012: 44.4 % of population2013: 43.5 % of population2014: 42.7 % of population2015: 41.8 % of population2016: 40.9 % of population2017: 40.1 % of population2018: 39.2 % of population2019: 38.3 % of population2020: 37.5 % of population2021: 36.6 % of population2022: 35.7 % of population2023: 34.8 % of population2024: 33.9 % of population

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 in Liberia, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Liberia, 2000 to 2024.
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%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest 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

  1. 5 Benin 47.0% compare
  2. 6 Solomon Islands 45.3% compare
  3. 7 Namibia 34.7% compare
  4. 9 Sao Tome and Principe 33.3% compare
  5. 10 Kiribati 32.4% compare
  6. 11 Togo 32.2% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Liberia

All data for Liberia →

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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People practicing open defecation in Liberia. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/liberia/

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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.