People practicing open defecation, rural in Somalia

Somalia: People practicing open defecation, rural was 26.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
26.4%
Change on year
down 8.3%
World rank
22nd
of 171 countries
All-time high
83.5%
in 2000
All-time low
26.4%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

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

204060802000201220242000: 83.5 % of rural population2001: 81.1 % of rural population2002: 78.7 % of rural population2003: 76.3 % of rural population2004: 74 % of rural population2005: 71.6 % of rural population2006: 69.2 % of rural population2007: 66.8 % of rural population2008: 64.4 % of rural population2009: 62.1 % of rural population2010: 59.7 % of rural population2011: 57.3 % of rural population2012: 54.9 % of rural population2013: 52.6 % of rural population2014: 50.2 % of rural population2015: 47.8 % of rural population2016: 45.4 % of rural population2017: 43 % of rural population2018: 40.7 % of rural population2019: 38.3 % of rural population2020: 35.9 % of rural population2021: 33.5 % of rural population2022: 31.2 % of rural population2023: 28.8 % of rural population2024: 26.4 % 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 Somalia is 26.4%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 8.3% on the previous year and down 47.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Somalia peaked at 83.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 26.4%, in 2024.

That places Somalia 22nd out of 171 countries 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 Somalia, year by year

Annual values for People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Somalia, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 83.5%
2001 81.1% -2.8%
2002 78.7% -2.9%
2003 76.3% -3.0%
2004 74.0% -3.1%
2005 71.6% -3.2%
2006 69.2% -3.3%
2007 66.8% -3.4%
2008 64.4% -3.6%
2009 62.1% -3.7%
2010 59.7% -3.8%
2011 57.3% -4.0%
2012 54.9% -4.1%
2013 52.6% -4.3%
2014 50.2% -4.5%
2015 47.8% -4.7%
2016 45.4% -5.0%
2017 43.0% -5.2%
2018 40.7% -5.5%
2019 38.3% -5.8%
2020 35.9% -6.2%
2021 33.5% -6.6%
2022 31.2% -7.1%
2023 28.8% -7.6%
2024 26.4% -8.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 72.8% 62.1% 83.5% 10
2010s 49.0% 38.3% 59.7% 10
2020s 31.2% 26.4% 35.9% 5

Countries ranked near Somalia

  1. 19 Nigeria 31.2% compare
  2. 20 Côte d'Ivoire 31.0% compare
  3. 21 Ghana 30.8% compare
  4. 23 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 24.9% compare
  5. 24 Sierra Leone 24.8% compare
  6. 25 Sudan 24.1% compare

See the full ranking of 218 places →

More health data for Somalia

All data for Somalia →

Frequently asked questions

What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Somalia?
People practicing open defecation, rural in Somalia was 26.4% 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 Somalia?
The highest recorded value was 83.5% in 2000.
What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Somalia?
The lowest recorded value was 26.4% in 2024.
How does Somalia rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
Somalia ranks 22nd out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Somalia?
Over the last ten years it is down 47.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Somalia 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 Somalia. 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/somalia-fed-rep/

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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.