People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) was 8.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 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
The most recent figure for people practicing open defecation, rural in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 8.1%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 9.8% on the previous year and down 51.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 26.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 8.1%, in 2024.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 23rd 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 (% of rural population) in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 26.7% | — |
| 2001 | 26.6% | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 26.4% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 25.3% | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 24.4% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 23.5% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 22.6% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 21.8% | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 20.9% | -4.0% |
| 2010 | 20.0% | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 19.1% | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 18.3% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 17.4% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 16.5% | -5.3% |
| 2015 | 15.6% | -5.8% |
| 2016 | 14.4% | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 14.5% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 13.5% | -6.8% |
| 2019 | 12.5% | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 11.6% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 10.7% | -7.8% |
| 2022 | 9.8% | -8.4% |
| 2023 | 9.0% | -8.5% |
| 2024 | 8.1% | -9.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.4% | 20.9% | 26.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.2% | 12.5% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.8% | 8.1% | 11.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 20 Cote d'Ivoire 31.0% compare
- 21 Ghana 30.8% compare
- 22 Somalia 26.4% compare
- 23 Bolivia 24.9% compare
- 24 Sierra Leone 24.8% compare
- 25 Sudan 24.1% compare
- 26 Mozambique 23.5% compare
More health data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0361 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, annual growth rate -0.3136 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, annual growth rate 1.49 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per capita 0.0409 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, male, annual growth rate 0.8672 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 0.7539 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 25-29, male, per capita 0.0417 units per person (2025)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan →
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 8.1% 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.1% in 2024.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 23rd out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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.