People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) was 18.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, rural in Zimbabwe, 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 Zimbabwe stood at 18.8%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.4% on the previous year and down 40.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, rural in Zimbabwe peaked at 48.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 2024.
Zimbabwe ranks 31st of 171 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation, rural (% of rural population) in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 48.5% | — |
| 2001 | 48.5% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 47.2% | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 45.9% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 44.6% | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 43.3% | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 42.0% | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 40.7% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 39.4% | -3.2% |
| 2009 | 38.1% | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 36.8% | -3.4% |
| 2011 | 35.5% | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 34.3% | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 33.0% | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 31.7% | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 30.4% | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 29.1% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 27.8% | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 26.5% | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 25.2% | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 23.9% | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 22.6% | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 21.3% | -5.7% |
| 2023 | 20.0% | -6.1% |
| 2024 | 18.8% | -6.4% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 18.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.0%, 1.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 18.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 95% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 43.8% | 38.1% | 48.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.0% | 25.2% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.3% | 18.8% | 23.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 28 Ethiopia 20.4% compare
- 29 Lesotho 19.7% compare
- 30 Democratic Republic of Congo 18.8% compare
- 32 Marshall Islands 18.7% compare
- 33 Papua New Guinea 17.3% compare
- 34 Botswana 16.7% compare
More health data for Zimbabwe
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,457 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.9632 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0689 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.9673 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0701 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, rural in Zimbabwe?
- People practicing open defecation, rural in Zimbabwe was 18.8% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 48.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, rural recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for people practicing open defecation, rural?
- Zimbabwe ranks 31st out of 171 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, rural rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.