People practicing open defecation, rural in Ghana
Ghana: People practicing open defecation, rural was 30.8% in 2024. ▬ Flat
People practicing open defecation, rural in Ghana, 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
Ghana recorded 30.8% for people practicing open defecation, rural in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Ghana peaked at 30.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 30.3%, in 2000.
That places Ghana 21st out of 171 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
People practicing open defecation, rural in Ghana, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 30.3% | — |
| 2001 | 30.3% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 30.3% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 30.3% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 30.4% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 30.4% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 30.4% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 30.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 30.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 30.5% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 30.5% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 30.5% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 30.5% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 30.5% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 30.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 30.7% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 30.7% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 30.7% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 30.7% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 30.7% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 30.8% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30.4% | 30.3% | 30.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.6% | 30.5% | 30.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.7% | 30.7% | 30.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 18 Haiti 31.5% compare
- 19 Nigeria 31.2% compare
- 20 Côte d'Ivoire 31.0% compare
- 22 Somalia 26.4% compare
- 23 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 24.9% compare
- 24 Sierra Leone 24.8% compare
More health data for Ghana
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.37 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6224 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 986.1 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 8,361 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 60-64, female, annual growth rate 5.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, female, per capita 0.0128 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, annual growth rate 5.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 60-64, male, per capita 0.0118 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Ghana?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Ghana was 30.8% 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, rural recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 30.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.3% in 2000.
- How does Ghana rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Ghana ranks 21st out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ghana 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.