People practicing open defecation, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: People practicing open defecation, rural was 16.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
In 2024, people practicing open defecation, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern stood at 16.4%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.9% on the previous year and down 42.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 41.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.4%, in 2024.
Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 13th of 47 groups on this measure, 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, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 41.1% | — |
| 2001 | 40.3% | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 39.4% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 38.6% | -2.1% |
| 2004 | 37.8% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 36.8% | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 35.8% | -2.7% |
| 2007 | 34.8% | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 33.8% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 32.7% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 31.7% | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 31.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 30.7% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 29.7% | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 28.6% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 27.5% | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 26.5% | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 25.0% | -5.4% |
| 2018 | 23.9% | -4.4% |
| 2019 | 22.9% | -4.4% |
| 2020 | 21.8% | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 20.7% | -5.0% |
| 2022 | 19.6% | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 17.5% | -11.0% |
| 2024 | 16.4% | -5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.1% | 32.7% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.8% | 22.9% | 31.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 16.4% | 21.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
- 10 Namibia 53.5% compare
- 11 Togo 50.9% compare
- 12 Kiribati 49.7% compare
- 13 Sao Tome and Principe 43.2% compare
- 14 Burkina Faso 42.3% compare
- 15 Central African Republic 38.8% compare
- 16 Madagascar 36.5% compare
More health data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0293 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.53 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.0242 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0284 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 3.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Africa Eastern and Southern was 16.4% 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, rural recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 41.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.4% in 2024.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 13th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 42.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern 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, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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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.