People practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries): People practicing open defecation, rural was 23.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) is 23.2%, measured in 2024. 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 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) peaked at 42.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 2024.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 5th out of 47 groups 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries), year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 42.4% | — |
| 2001 | 41.8% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 41.1% | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 40.4% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 39.8% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 39.0% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 38.3% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 36.8% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 36.0% | -2.2% |
| 2010 | 35.2% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 35.0% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 34.2% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 33.4% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 32.6% | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 31.7% | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 30.9% | -2.7% |
| 2017 | 29.8% | -3.5% |
| 2018 | 29.0% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 28.1% | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 27.2% | -3.1% |
| 2021 | 26.3% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 25.5% | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 24.0% | -5.8% |
| 2024 | 23.2% | -3.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 39.3% | 36.0% | 42.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.0% | 28.1% | 35.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.2% | 23.2% | 27.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, male, annual growth rate 3.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per capita 0.024 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 40-44, female, annual growth rate 3.23 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per capita 0.0282 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, male, annual growth rate 2.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 35-39, female, per capita 0.0287 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 2.69 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) was 23.2% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The highest recorded value was 42.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries)?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 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.