People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in Benin
Benin: People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) was 29.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People practicing open defecation, urban in Benin, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
In 2024, people practicing open defecation, urban in Benin stood at 29.4%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, urban in Benin peaked at 36.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 29.4%, in 2024.
Benin ranks 3rd of 182 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in Benin, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 36.9% | — |
| 2001 | 36.6% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 36.3% | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 35.9% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 35.6% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 35.3% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 35.0% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 34.7% | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 34.4% | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 34.1% | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 33.8% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 33.5% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 33.1% | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 32.8% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 32.5% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 32.2% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 31.9% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 31.6% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 31.3% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 31.0% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 30.7% | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 30.3% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 30.0% | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 29.7% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 29.4% | -1.0% |
Benin compared with similar countries
- Benin's 29.4% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.0%, 30.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Benin's 29.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.9%, 15.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 35.5% | 34.1% | 36.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.4% | 31.0% | 33.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.0% | 29.4% | 30.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 1 Eritrea 32.9% compare
- 2 Sao Tome and Principe 30.4% compare
- 4 Kiribati 20.0% compare
- 5 Namibia 19.8% compare
- 6 South Sudan 16.9% compare
More health data for Benin
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.1 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.8458 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 13,632 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 21 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 1.21 % 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 0.0741 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 1.24 % 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 0.0763 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, urban in Benin?
- People practicing open defecation, urban in Benin was 29.4% 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, urban recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 36.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, urban recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 29.4% in 2024.
- How does Benin rank for people practicing open defecation, urban?
- Benin ranks 3rd out of 182 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, urban rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin 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, urban (% of urban 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.