People practicing open defecation in Low income

Low income: People practicing open defecation was 17.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
17.2%
Change on year
down 1.4%
Rank
2nd
of 45 groups
All-time high
39.3%
in 2000
All-time low
17.2%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation in Low income, 2000–2024

0102030402000201220242000: 39.3 % of population2001: 38.6 % of population2002: 35.5 % of population2003: 34.7 % of population2004: 33.9 % of population2005: 33 % of population2006: 32 % of population2007: 31.1 % of population2008: 30.1 % of population2009: 29.2 % of population2010: 28.2 % of population2011: 28.1 % of population2012: 27.2 % of population2013: 26.4 % of population2014: 25.5 % of population2015: 24.6 % of population2016: 23.7 % of population2017: 23.2 % of population2018: 22.2 % of population2019: 21.2 % of population2020: 20.3 % of population2021: 19.3 % of population2022: 18.4 % of population2023: 17.5 % of population2024: 17.2 % 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 Low income stood at 17.2%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 32.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Low income peaked at 39.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 2024.

Low income ranks 2nd of 45 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

People practicing open defecation in Low income, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Low income, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of population Change
2000 39.3%
2001 38.6% -1.8%
2002 35.5% -8.0%
2003 34.7% -2.3%
2004 33.9% -2.3%
2005 33.0% -2.8%
2006 32.0% -2.9%
2007 31.1% -2.9%
2008 30.1% -3.1%
2009 29.2% -3.2%
2010 28.2% -3.3%
2011 28.1% -0.4%
2012 27.2% -3.2%
2013 26.4% -3.1%
2014 25.5% -3.3%
2015 24.6% -3.5%
2016 23.7% -3.8%
2017 23.2% -2.1%
2018 22.2% -4.2%
2019 21.2% -4.3%
2020 20.3% -4.5%
2021 19.3% -4.7%
2022 18.4% -4.9%
2023 17.5% -4.9%
2024 17.2% -1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 33.7% 29.2% 39.3% 10
2010s 25.0% 21.2% 28.2% 10
2020s 18.6% 17.2% 20.3% 5

Countries ranked near Low income

  1. 1 Eritrea 67.0% compare
  2. 2 Niger 66.0% compare
  3. 3 South Sudan 62.8% compare
  4. 4 Chad 62.2% compare
  5. 5 Benin 47.0% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Low income

All data for Low income →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation in Low income?
People practicing open defecation in Low income was 17.2% 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 Low income?
The highest recorded value was 39.3% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Low income?
The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 2024.
How does Low income rank for people practicing open defecation?
Low income ranks 2nd out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Low income?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Low income 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 Low income. 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/low-income/

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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.