People practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC): People practicing open defecation, rural was 22.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
22.6%
Change on year
down 4.6%
Rank
8th
of 47 groups
All-time high
46.8%
in 2000
All-time low
22.6%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 2000–2024

010203040502000201220242000: 46.8 % of rural population2001: 46 % of rural population2002: 45.1 % of rural population2003: 44.2 % of rural population2004: 43.3 % of rural population2005: 42.3 % of rural population2006: 41.3 % of rural population2007: 40.3 % of rural population2008: 39.3 % of rural population2009: 38.3 % of rural population2010: 37.3 % of rural population2011: 36.2 % of rural population2012: 35.2 % of rural population2013: 34.2 % of rural population2014: 33.2 % of rural population2015: 32.1 % of rural population2016: 31.1 % of rural population2017: 29.8 % of rural population2018: 28.8 % of rural population2019: 27.7 % of rural population2020: 26.7 % of rural population2021: 25.7 % of rural population2022: 24.7 % of rural population2023: 23.6 % of rural population2024: 22.6 % of rural population

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for people practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) is 22.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.6% on the previous year and down 32.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) peaked at 46.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 22.6%, in 2024.

That places Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 8th out of 47 groups 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, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC), 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 46.8%
2001 46.0% -1.7%
2002 45.1% -2.0%
2003 44.2% -2.0%
2004 43.3% -2.0%
2005 42.3% -2.3%
2006 41.3% -2.4%
2007 40.3% -2.4%
2008 39.3% -2.5%
2009 38.3% -2.6%
2010 37.3% -2.7%
2011 36.2% -2.8%
2012 35.2% -2.8%
2013 34.2% -2.9%
2014 33.2% -3.0%
2015 32.1% -3.1%
2016 31.1% -3.2%
2017 29.8% -4.1%
2018 28.8% -3.5%
2019 27.7% -3.6%
2020 26.7% -3.7%
2021 25.7% -3.9%
2022 24.7% -4.0%
2023 23.6% -4.1%
2024 22.6% -4.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 42.7% 38.3% 46.8% 10
2010s 32.6% 27.7% 37.3% 10
2020s 24.7% 22.6% 26.7% 5

Countries ranked near Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

  1. 5 Angola 65.5% compare
  2. 6 Benin 65.1% compare
  3. 7 Djibouti 64.1% compare
  4. 8 Solomon Islands 58.9% compare
  5. 9 Liberia 57.5% compare
  6. 10 Namibia 53.5% compare
  7. 11 Togo 50.9% compare

See the full ranking of 218 places →

More health data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)

All data for Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
People practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) was 22.6% 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 Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
The highest recorded value was 46.8% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
The lowest recorded value was 22.6% in 2024.
How does Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) ranks 8th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC)?
Over the last ten years it is down 32.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 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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People practicing open defecation, rural in Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC). Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-rural-percent-of-rural-population/heavily-indebted-poor-countries-hipc/

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About this data

Indicator
People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population)
Unit
% of rural population
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
218 places, 5,299 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.