People practicing open defecation, rural in South Asia
South Asia: People practicing open defecation, rural was 9.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in South Asia, 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
In 2024, people practicing open defecation, rural in South Asia stood at 9.2%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.1% on the previous year and down 76.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in South Asia peaked at 81.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.2%, in 2024.
South Asia ranks 17th of 47 groups on this measure, 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 in South Asia, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 81.3% | — |
| 2001 | 78.3% | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 75.3% | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 72.3% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 69.3% | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 66.3% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 63.3% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 60.4% | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 57.4% | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 54.4% | -5.2% |
| 2010 | 51.4% | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 48.4% | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 45.4% | -6.2% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 39.3% | -7.1% |
| 2015 | 36.3% | -7.7% |
| 2016 | 33.3% | -8.4% |
| 2017 | 30.2% | -9.1% |
| 2018 | 27.2% | -10.1% |
| 2019 | 24.2% | -11.2% |
| 2020 | 21.1% | -12.7% |
| 2021 | 18.1% | -14.2% |
| 2022 | 15.1% | -16.4% |
| 2023 | 12.2% | -19.5% |
| 2024 | 9.2% | -24.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 67.8% | 54.4% | 81.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.8% | 24.2% | 51.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.1% | 9.2% | 21.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
- 14 Burkina Faso 42.3% compare
- 15 Central African Republic 38.8% compare
- 16 Madagascar 36.5% compare
- 17 Mauritania 36.3% compare
- 18 Haiti 31.5% compare
- 19 Nigeria 31.2% compare
- 20 Côte d'Ivoire 31.0% compare
More health data for South Asia
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 6.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, annual growth rate 4.12 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0058 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 6.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0067 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, annual growth rate 4.29 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in South Asia?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in South Asia was 9.2% 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 South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 81.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.2% in 2024.
- How does South Asia rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- South Asia ranks 17th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Asia 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.
Download this data
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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.