People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Uganda
Uganda: People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) was 4.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Uganda, 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
Uganda recorded 4.2% for people practicing open defecation, rural in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 10.6% on the previous year and down 54.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Uganda peaked at 16.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2024.
Uganda ranks 61st of 171 countries 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 (% of rural population) in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.1% | — |
| 2001 | 15.6% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 15.1% | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 14.6% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 14.1% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 13.6% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 13.1% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 12.6% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 12.1% | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 11.1% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 9.6% | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 9.1% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 8.6% | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -8.0% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | -8.7% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | -9.6% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -10.6% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 4.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 20% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 21% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.9% | 11.6% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.9% | 6.7% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.2% | 6.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 58 Vanuatu 6.1% compare
- 59 Dominican Republic 5.1% compare
- 60 Ecuador 4.9% compare
- 62 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.0% compare
- 63 Indonesia 3.8% compare
- 64 Equatorial Guinea 3.6% compare
More health data for Uganda
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 6,666 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 111 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0787 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.34 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0804 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Uganda?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Uganda was 4.2% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2024.
- How does Uganda rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Uganda ranks 61st out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.