People practicing open defecation, rural in Arab World
Arab World: People practicing open defecation, rural was 6.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Arab World, 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
Arab World recorded 6.9% for people practicing open defecation, rural in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 10.1% on the previous year and down 54.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Arab World peaked at 27.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 2024.
That places Arab World 25th out of 47 groups 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, rural in Arab World, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27.0% | — |
| 2001 | 26.5% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 26.1% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 25.5% | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 24.8% | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 23.8% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 22.8% | -4.1% |
| 2007 | 21.9% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 20.9% | -4.4% |
| 2009 | 19.9% | -4.6% |
| 2010 | 19.0% | -4.9% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | -5.3% |
| 2012 | 17.0% | -5.1% |
| 2013 | 16.2% | -4.8% |
| 2014 | 15.3% | -5.7% |
| 2015 | 14.3% | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 12.9% | -9.7% |
| 2017 | 12.3% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 11.4% | -7.2% |
| 2019 | 10.6% | -7.3% |
| 2020 | 9.8% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 9.1% | -7.6% |
| 2022 | 8.3% | -8.2% |
| 2023 | 7.7% | -8.0% |
| 2024 | 6.9% | -10.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.9% | 19.9% | 27.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.7% | 10.6% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4% | 6.9% | 9.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
- 22 Somalia 26.4% compare
- 23 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 24.9% compare
- 24 Sierra Leone 24.8% compare
- 25 Sudan 24.1% compare
- 26 Mozambique 23.5% compare
- 27 Congo 23.0% compare
- 28 Ethiopia 20.4% compare
More health data for Arab World
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0036 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, annual growth rate 5.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0073 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, annual growth rate 4.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0023 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Arab World?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Arab World was 6.9% 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 Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 27.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 2024.
- How does Arab World rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Arab World ranks 25th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World 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.
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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.