People practicing open defecation, rural in Mozambique

Mozambique: People practicing open defecation, rural was 23.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
23.5%
Change on year
down 8.0%
World rank
26th
of 171 countries
All-time high
72.8%
in 2000
All-time low
23.5%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation, rural in Mozambique, 2000–2024

2030405060702000201220242000: 72.8 % of rural population2001: 70.8 % of rural population2002: 68.7 % of rural population2003: 66.7 % of rural population2004: 64.6 % of rural population2005: 62.6 % of rural population2006: 60.5 % of rural population2007: 58.5 % of rural population2008: 56.4 % of rural population2009: 54.4 % of rural population2010: 52.3 % of rural population2011: 50.2 % of rural population2012: 48.2 % of rural population2013: 46.1 % of rural population2014: 44.1 % of rural population2015: 42 % of rural population2016: 40 % of rural population2017: 37.9 % of rural population2018: 35.9 % of rural population2019: 33.8 % of rural population2020: 31.7 % of rural population2021: 29.7 % of rural population2022: 27.6 % of rural population2023: 25.6 % of rural population2024: 23.5 % 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

In 2024, people practicing open defecation, rural in Mozambique stood at 23.5%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.0% on the previous year and down 46.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Mozambique peaked at 72.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 23.5%, in 2024.

Mozambique ranks 26th of 171 countries on this measure, 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 Mozambique, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Mozambique, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 72.8%
2001 70.8% -2.8%
2002 68.7% -2.9%
2003 66.7% -3.0%
2004 64.6% -3.1%
2005 62.6% -3.2%
2006 60.5% -3.3%
2007 58.5% -3.4%
2008 56.4% -3.5%
2009 54.4% -3.6%
2010 52.3% -3.8%
2011 50.2% -3.9%
2012 48.2% -4.1%
2013 46.1% -4.3%
2014 44.1% -4.5%
2015 42.0% -4.7%
2016 40.0% -4.9%
2017 37.9% -5.1%
2018 35.9% -5.4%
2019 33.8% -5.7%
2020 31.7% -6.1%
2021 29.7% -6.5%
2022 27.6% -6.9%
2023 25.6% -7.4%
2024 23.5% -8.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 63.6% 54.4% 72.8% 10
2010s 43.0% 33.8% 52.3% 10
2020s 27.6% 23.5% 31.7% 5

Countries ranked near Mozambique

  1. 23 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 24.9% compare
  2. 24 Sierra Leone 24.8% compare
  3. 25 Sudan 24.1% compare
  4. 27 Congo 23.0% compare
  5. 28 Ethiopia 20.4% compare
  6. 29 Lesotho 19.7% compare

See the full ranking of 218 places →

More health data for Mozambique

All data for Mozambique →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Mozambique?
People practicing open defecation, rural in Mozambique was 23.5% 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 Mozambique?
The highest recorded value was 72.8% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Mozambique?
The lowest recorded value was 23.5% in 2024.
How does Mozambique rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
Mozambique ranks 26th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Mozambique?
Over the last ten years it is down 46.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Mozambique 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 Mozambique. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-rural-percent-of-rural-population/mozambique/

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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.