People practicing open defecation (% of population) in South Sudan
South Sudan: People practicing open defecation (% of population) was 62.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation in South Sudan, 2011–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of population.
Analysis
South Sudan recorded 62.8% for people practicing open defecation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 14 years on record.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation in South Sudan peaked at 70.9% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 62.8%, in 2024.
South Sudan ranks 3rd of 214 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation (% of population) in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % of population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 70.9% | — |
| 2012 | 70.2% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 69.6% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 69.0% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 68.3% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 67.6% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 66.9% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 65.5% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 64.8% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 64.0% | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 63.0% | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 62.8% | -0.3% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 62.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.4%, 4.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 62.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 5.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 68.3% | 65.5% | 70.9% | 9 |
| 2020s | 63.6% | 62.8% | 64.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More health data for South Sudan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 12,029 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 57 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0637 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0654 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation in South Sudan?
- People practicing open defecation in South Sudan was 62.8% 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 South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 70.9% in 2011.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 62.8% in 2024.
- How does South Sudan rank for people practicing open defecation?
- South Sudan ranks 3rd out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan 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.