People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in Namibia
Namibia: People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) was 19.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People practicing open defecation, urban in Namibia, 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
The most recent figure for people practicing open defecation, urban in Namibia is 19.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 8.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people practicing open defecation, urban in Namibia peaked at 19.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 15.9%, in 2000.
That places Namibia 5th out of 182 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People practicing open defecation, urban (% of urban population) in Namibia, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.9% | — |
| 2001 | 16.1% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 16.2% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 16.4% | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 16.6% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 16.7% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 17.0% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 17.2% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 17.8% | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 18.2% | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 18.3% | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 18.5% | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 18.6% | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 18.8% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 19.0% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 19.1% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 19.3% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 19.4% | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 19.6% | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 19.8% | +0.8% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 19.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.0%, 20.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 19.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.9%, 10.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.6% | 15.9% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.2% | 17.5% | 19.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.4% | 19.1% | 19.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More health data for Namibia
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.75 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.6445 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 561 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 1 (2024)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -1.83 % 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 0.0644 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -1.56 % 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 0.0646 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people practicing open defecation, urban in Namibia?
- People practicing open defecation, urban in Namibia was 19.8% 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, urban recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people practicing open defecation, urban recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.9% in 2000.
- How does Namibia rank for people practicing open defecation, urban?
- Namibia ranks 5th out of 182 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people practicing open defecation, urban rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Namibia 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.