People practicing open defecation in Mozambique

Mozambique: People practicing open defecation was 16.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
16.0%
Change on year
down 9.5%
World rank
23rd
of 214 countries
All-time high
58.6%
in 2000
All-time low
16.0%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation in Mozambique, 2000–2024

20304050602000201220242000: 58.6 % of population2001: 56.8 % of population2002: 55 % of population2003: 53.3 % of population2004: 51.5 % of population2005: 49.7 % of population2006: 48 % of population2007: 46.2 % of population2008: 44.4 % of population2009: 42.5 % of population2010: 40.7 % of population2011: 38.8 % of population2012: 37 % of population2013: 35.2 % of population2014: 33.4 % of population2015: 31.6 % of population2016: 29.8 % of population2017: 28.1 % of population2018: 26.3 % of population2019: 24.6 % of population2020: 22.8 % of population2021: 21.1 % of population2022: 19.4 % of population2023: 17.7 % of population2024: 16 % of population

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 Mozambique is 16.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 9.5% on the previous year and down 52.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Mozambique peaked at 58.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.0%, in 2024.

That places Mozambique 23rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

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

People practicing open defecation in Mozambique, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Mozambique, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of population Change
2000 58.6%
2001 56.8% -3.0%
2002 55.0% -3.1%
2003 53.3% -3.2%
2004 51.5% -3.3%
2005 49.7% -3.4%
2006 48.0% -3.5%
2007 46.2% -3.6%
2008 44.4% -4.0%
2009 42.5% -4.2%
2010 40.7% -4.3%
2011 38.8% -4.5%
2012 37.0% -4.7%
2013 35.2% -4.9%
2014 33.4% -5.1%
2015 31.6% -5.4%
2016 29.8% -5.6%
2017 28.1% -5.9%
2018 26.3% -6.2%
2019 24.6% -6.6%
2020 22.8% -7.0%
2021 21.1% -7.5%
2022 19.4% -8.1%
2023 17.7% -8.7%
2024 16.0% -9.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 50.6% 42.5% 58.6% 10
2010s 32.5% 24.6% 40.7% 10
2020s 19.4% 16.0% 22.8% 5

Countries ranked near Mozambique

  1. 20 Sudan 16.4% compare
  2. 21 Ethiopia 16.2% compare
  3. 22 Mauritania 16.2% compare
  4. 24 Djibouti 15.9% compare
  5. 25 Papua New Guinea 15.6% compare
  6. 26 Sierra Leone 15.3% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Mozambique

All data for Mozambique →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation in Mozambique?
People practicing open defecation in Mozambique was 16.0% 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 Mozambique?
The highest recorded value was 58.6% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Mozambique?
The lowest recorded value was 16.0% in 2024.
How does Mozambique rank for people practicing open defecation?
Mozambique ranks 23rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Mozambique?
Over the last ten years it is down 52.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Mozambique 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 Mozambique. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-percent-of-population/mozambique/

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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.