People practicing open defecation in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: People practicing open defecation was 0.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
0.1%
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
110th
of 214 countries
All-time high
0.1%
in 2016
All-time low
0.1%
in 2024
Years of data
9
2016–2024

People practicing open defecation in Saudi Arabia, 2016–2024

00.050.10.152016202020242016: 0.135 % of population2017: 0.134 % of population2018: 0.133 % of population2019: 0.132 % of population2020: 0.13 % of population2021: 0.129 % of population2022: 0.128 % of population2023: 0.127 % of population2024: 0.126 % 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 Saudi Arabia stood at 0.1%. That is the lowest value across all 9 years on record.

The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.1% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2024.

Saudi Arabia ranks 110th of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

People practicing open defecation in Saudi Arabia, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Saudi Arabia, 2016 to 2024.
Year % of population Change
2016 0.1%
2017 0.1% -0.9%
2018 0.1% -0.9%
2019 0.1% -0.9%
2020 0.1% -0.9%
2021 0.1% -0.9%
2022 0.1% -0.9%
2023 0.1% -0.9%
2024 0.1% -1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 4
2020s 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 5

Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia

  1. 107 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 0.1%
  2. 108 Palestine, State of 0.1% compare
  3. 109 Bahamas 0.1%
  4. 111 North Macedonia 0.1% compare
  5. 112 Tonga 0.1% compare
  6. 113 Qatar 0.1% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More health data for Saudi Arabia

All data for Saudi Arabia →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation in Saudi Arabia?
People practicing open defecation in Saudi Arabia was 0.1% 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 Saudi Arabia?
The highest recorded value was 0.1% in 2016.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2024.
How does Saudi Arabia rank for people practicing open defecation?
Saudi Arabia ranks 110th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia. 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/saudi-arabia/

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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.