People practicing open defecation, rural in Sao Tome and Principe

Sao Tome and Principe: People practicing open defecation, rural was 43.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
43.2%
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
13th
of 171 countries
All-time high
81.3%
in 2000
All-time low
43.2%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People practicing open defecation, rural in Sao Tome and Principe, 2000–2024

0204060802000201220242000: 81.3 % of rural population2001: 79.7 % of rural population2002: 78.1 % of rural population2003: 76.5 % of rural population2004: 74.9 % of rural population2005: 73.3 % of rural population2006: 71.7 % of rural population2007: 70.2 % of rural population2008: 68.6 % of rural population2009: 67 % of rural population2010: 65.4 % of rural population2011: 63.8 % of rural population2012: 62.2 % of rural population2013: 60.7 % of rural population2014: 59.1 % of rural population2015: 57.5 % of rural population2016: 55.9 % of rural population2017: 54.3 % of rural population2018: 52.7 % of rural population2019: 51.1 % of rural population2020: 49.6 % of rural population2021: 48 % of rural population2022: 46.4 % of rural population2023: 44.8 % of rural population2024: 43.2 % 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 Sao Tome and Principe stood at 43.2%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.5% on the previous year and down 26.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Sao Tome and Principe peaked at 81.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 43.2%, in 2024.

That places Sao Tome and Principe 13th out of 171 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

People practicing open defecation, rural in Sao Tome and Principe, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Sao Tome and Principe, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 81.3%
2001 79.7% -2.0%
2002 78.1% -2.0%
2003 76.5% -2.0%
2004 74.9% -2.1%
2005 73.3% -2.1%
2006 71.7% -2.2%
2007 70.2% -2.2%
2008 68.6% -2.3%
2009 67.0% -2.3%
2010 65.4% -2.4%
2011 63.8% -2.4%
2012 62.2% -2.5%
2013 60.7% -2.5%
2014 59.1% -2.6%
2015 57.5% -2.7%
2016 55.9% -2.8%
2017 54.3% -2.8%
2018 52.7% -2.9%
2019 51.1% -3.0%
2020 49.6% -3.1%
2021 48.0% -3.2%
2022 46.4% -3.3%
2023 44.8% -3.4%
2024 43.2% -3.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 74.1% 67.0% 81.3% 10
2010s 58.3% 51.1% 65.4% 10
2020s 46.4% 43.2% 49.6% 5

Countries ranked near Sao Tome and Principe

  1. 10 Namibia 53.5% compare
  2. 11 Togo 50.9% compare
  3. 12 Kiribati 49.7% compare
  4. 14 Burkina Faso 42.3% compare
  5. 15 Central African Republic 38.8% compare
  6. 16 Madagascar 36.5% compare

See the full ranking of 218 places →

More health data for Sao Tome and Principe

All data for Sao Tome and Principe →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Sao Tome and Principe?
People practicing open defecation, rural in Sao Tome and Principe was 43.2% 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 Sao Tome and Principe?
The highest recorded value was 81.3% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Sao Tome and Principe?
The lowest recorded value was 43.2% in 2024.
How does Sao Tome and Principe rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
Sao Tome and Principe ranks 13th out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Sao Tome and Principe?
Over the last ten years it is down 26.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Sao Tome and Principe 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 Sao Tome and Principe. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-practicing-open-defecation-rural-percent-of-rural-population/sao-tome-and-principe/

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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.