People practicing open defecation (% of population) in Senegal
Senegal: People practicing open defecation (% of population) was 6.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation in Senegal, 2000–2024
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 Senegal stood at 6.1%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 10.1% on the previous year and down 54.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in Senegal peaked at 24.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.1%, in 2024.
That places Senegal 44th 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 (% of population) in Senegal, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.8% | — |
| 2001 | 24.0% | -3.2% |
| 2002 | 23.2% | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 22.4% | -3.6% |
| 2004 | 21.6% | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 20.7% | -3.9% |
| 2006 | 19.9% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 19.0% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 18.2% | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 16.6% | -4.6% |
| 2011 | 15.8% | -4.8% |
| 2012 | 15.0% | -5.0% |
| 2013 | 14.2% | -5.2% |
| 2014 | 13.4% | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 12.7% | -5.7% |
| 2016 | 11.9% | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 11.2% | -6.3% |
| 2018 | 10.4% | -6.7% |
| 2019 | 9.7% | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 8.2% | -8.0% |
| 2022 | 7.5% | -8.6% |
| 2023 | 6.8% | -9.3% |
| 2024 | 6.1% | -10.1% |
Senegal compared with similar countries
- Senegal's 6.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 91% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Senegal's 6.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 51% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.1% | 17.4% | 24.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.1% | 9.7% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.5% | 6.1% | 9.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Senegal
More health data for Senegal
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.58 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.7598 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 2,496 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 3 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0658 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0684 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in Senegal?
- People practicing open defecation in Senegal was 6.1% 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 Senegal?
- The highest recorded value was 24.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in Senegal?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.1% in 2024.
- How does Senegal rank for people practicing open defecation?
- Senegal ranks 44th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Senegal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Senegal 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.