People practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: People practicing open defecation, rural was 23.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa, 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 Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 23.2%. 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 28.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 42.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 23.2%, in 2024.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 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, 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
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, female, per capita 0.0051 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, annual growth rate 3.8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 70-74, male, per capita 0.0041 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 3.88 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0023 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa 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?
- The highest recorded value was 42.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.2% in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 5th out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 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 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.