People practicing open defecation in Panama
Panama: People practicing open defecation was 3.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation in Panama, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
Panama recorded 3.1% for people practicing open defecation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.8% on the previous year and down 38.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Panama peaked at 8.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 3.1%, in 2024.
That places Panama 59th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation in Panama, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.0% | — |
| 2001 | 7.8% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 7.5% | -2.8% |
| 2003 | 7.3% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 7.1% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 6.9% | -3.0% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | -3.1% |
| 2007 | 6.5% | -3.2% |
| 2008 | 6.3% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 5.8% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 5.6% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 5.4% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 5.2% | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 4.8% | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 4.6% | -4.1% |
| 2017 | 4.4% | -4.3% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 4.0% | -4.6% |
| 2020 | 3.8% | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 3.6% | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 3.5% | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | -5.5% |
| 2024 | 3.1% | -5.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.0% | 6.1% | 8.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.9% | 4.0% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.5% | 3.1% | 3.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Panama
- 56 Uganda 3.5% compare
- 57 Cape Verde 3.4% compare
- 58 Honduras 3.4% compare
- 60 Venezuela 3.0% compare
- 61 Equatorial Guinea 2.9% compare
- 62 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.5% compare
More health data for Panama
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.94 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5994 % change on previous year (2090)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates 1,074 (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 101 (2100)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate -0.2875 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1195 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate -0.2493 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, per capita 0.1258 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in Panama?
- People practicing open defecation in Panama was 3.1% 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 Panama?
- The highest recorded value was 8.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Panama?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.1% in 2024.
- How does Panama rank for people practicing open defecation?
- Panama ranks 59th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Panama?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Panama 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.