People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Myanmar
Myanmar: People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) was 9.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Myanmar, 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 Myanmar is 9.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 11.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Myanmar peaked at 13.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.6%, in 2021.
That places Myanmar 48th out of 171 countries 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 Myanmar, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 13.3% | — |
| 2001 | 13.2% | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 13.0% | -1.4% |
| 2003 | 12.8% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 12.6% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 12.4% | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 12.3% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 11.9% | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 11.7% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 11.6% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 11.2% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 11.0% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 10.8% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 10.7% | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 10.5% | -1.7% |
| 2017 | 10.3% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 10.1% | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 10.0% | -1.8% |
| 2020 | 9.8% | -1.8% |
| 2021 | 9.6% | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 9.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 9.6% | +0.0% |
Myanmar compared with similar countries
- Myanmar's 9.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.0%, 88% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Myanmar's 9.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 3.2%, 3.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12.5% | 11.7% | 13.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.8% | 10.0% | 11.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.6% | 9.6% | 9.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
More health data for Myanmar
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.11 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.1576 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 2,973 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.759 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0387 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.8351 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0409 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Myanmar?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Myanmar was 9.6% 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 Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 13.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.6% in 2021.
- How does Myanmar rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Myanmar ranks 48th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Myanmar 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.