Share of people practicing open defecation by country

Share of people who practice open defecation. This includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.

Countries reporting
224
Highest
67.0%
Eritrea
Lowest
0.0%
Tokelau
Median
0.1%
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
5,488

What the numbers show

Share of people practicing open defecation is currently reported for 224 countries. The highest value is 67.0% in Eritrea; the lowest is 0.0% in Tokelau.

The median across all reporting countries is 0.1%, and the mean is 4.8%.

Over the past decade 16 countries rose and 138 fell. The largest increase was in Trinidad and Tobago (up 234.6%), and the largest decrease in Albania (down 100.0%).

Share of people practicing open defecation: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 Eritrea 67.0% 2016 down 10.9% falling
2 Niger 66.0% 2024 down 9.2% falling
3 South Sudan 62.8% 2024 down 8.9% falling
4 Chad 62.2% 2024 down 5.8% falling
5 Benin 47.0% 2024 down 15.3% falling
6 Solomon Islands 45.3% 2024 down 11.0% falling
7 Namibia 34.7% 2024 down 19.9% falling
8 Liberia 33.9% 2024 down 20.5% falling
9 Sao Tome and Principe 33.3% 2024 down 32.2% falling
10 Kiribati 32.4% 2024 down 16.6% falling
11 Togo 32.2% 2024 down 29.3% falling
12 Burkina Faso 29.9% 2024 down 36.9% falling
13 Madagascar 27.0% 2024 down 21.0% falling
14 Angola 25.7% 2022 down 11.1% falling
15 Central African Republic 24.7% 2024 up 0.1% rising
16 Nigeria 18.0% 2024 down 13.7% falling
17 Ghana 17.8% 2024 down 5.1% falling
18 Haiti 17.5% 2023 down 24.5% falling
19 Cote d'Ivoire 16.7% 2024 down 33.3% falling
20 Sudan 16.4% 2024 down 49.2% falling
21 Ethiopia 16.2% 2024 down 58.2% falling
22 Mauritania 16.2% 2024 down 50.4% falling
23 Mozambique 16.0% 2024 down 52.0% falling
25 Papua New Guinea 15.6% 2024 up 7.5% rising
26 Sierra Leone 15.3% 2024 down 21.5% falling
27 Lesotho 14.8% 2024 down 44.9% falling
28 Somalia 14.4% 2024 down 53.6% falling
29 Zimbabwe 12.6% 2024 down 41.9% falling
30 Democratic Republic of Congo 11.7% 2024 up 0.0% rising
31 Afghanistan 11.2% 2024 down 32.3% falling
32 Micronesia (country) 9.5% 2014 unchanged flat
33 Laos 8.7% 2024 down 69.2% falling
34 Congo 8.4% 2021 down 3.7% flat
35 Pakistan 8.2% 2024 down 54.4% falling
36 East Timor 7.9% 2024 down 65.7% falling
37 Guinea-Bissau 7.7% 2024 down 53.4% falling
38 Bolivia 7.1% 2024 down 56.9% falling
39 Wallis and Futuna 6.9% 2024 up 21.2% rising
40 Marshall Islands 6.8% 2024 down 27.4% falling
41 Tanzania 6.8% 2024 down 23.0% falling
42 Myanmar 6.7% 2024 down 14.9% falling
43 India 6.7% 2024 down 79.8% volatile
44 Saint Lucia 6.2% 2022 down 6.9% falling
45 Senegal 6.1% 2024 down 54.3% falling
46 Kenya 5.9% 2024 down 42.7% falling
47 Dominica 5.6% 2017 down 47.0% falling
48 Botswana 5.4% 2024 down 49.6% falling
49 Cambodia 5.2% 2024 down 86.4% volatile
50 Vanuatu 5.0% 2024 up 81.0% volatile
51 Yemen 4.9% 2024 down 70.2% falling
52 Guinea 4.7% 2024 down 67.5% falling
53 Cameroon 4.4% 2024 down 24.7% falling
54 Mongolia 4.3% 2024 down 51.7% falling
55 Mali 3.9% 2024 down 59.3% falling
56 Grenada 3.5% 2017 up 27.8% rising
57 Uganda 3.5% 2024 down 53.5% falling
58 Cape Verde 3.4% 2024 down 84.4% volatile
59 Honduras 3.4% 2024 down 61.3% falling
61 Venezuela 3.0% 2021 down 43.4% falling
62 Equatorial Guinea 2.9% 2017 down 54.3% falling
63 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2.5% 2018 up 18.0% rising
64 Indonesia 2.3% 2024 down 83.1% volatile
65 Philippines 2.2% 2024 down 62.9% falling
66 Colombia 2.1% 2024 down 51.0% falling
67 Zambia 2.0% 2024 down 83.6% volatile
68 Burundi 2.0% 2024 down 11.1% falling
69 Malawi 1.9% 2024 down 72.8% falling
70 Peru 1.9% 2024 down 76.5% volatile
71 Tuvalu 1.8% 2024 down 61.5% falling
72 Comoros 1.8% 2024 up 36.9% rising
73 Ecuador 1.7% 2024 down 68.8% falling
74 Dominican Republic 1.7% 2024 down 41.1% falling
75 Argentina 1.5% 2014 down 25.5% falling
76 Gabon 1.3% 2024 down 22.5% falling
77 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.3% 2017 down 34.4% falling
78 Suriname 1.2% 2024 down 65.1% volatile
79 El Salvador 1.2% 2024 down 67.7% falling
80 Rwanda 1.1% 2024 down 46.2% falling
81 Guatemala 1.0% 2024 down 82.5% volatile
82 Aruba 0.9% 2024 down 13.4% falling
83 Nauru 0.8% 2024 down 39.2% falling
84 Guam 0.7% 2016 up 100.0% volatile
85 American Samoa 0.7% 2014 unchanged flat
86 Syria 0.7% 2016 down 42.4% falling
87 Niue 0.6% 2024 up 11.9% rising
88 Cook Islands 0.6% 2024 up 26.4% rising
89 Jamaica 0.6% 2024 down 20.3% falling
90 Belize 0.6% 2022 down 69.5% volatile
91 Libya 0.6% 2024 down 0.7% flat
92 Anguilla 0.5% 2017 down 58.8% falling
93 Nepal 0.5% 2024 down 98.1% volatile
94 Tajikistan 0.5% 2023 down 31.7% falling
95 Iran 0.4% 2016 down 16.4% falling
96 Eswatini 0.4% 2024 down 95.6% volatile
97 Malaysia 0.3% 2016 down 62.7% volatile
98 Paraguay 0.3% 2024 down 54.3% falling
99 South Africa 0.3% 2024 down 92.7% volatile
100 Curacao 0.3% 2017 down 53.8% falling
101 Mauritius 0.3% 2024 up 43.9% rising
102 Tunisia 0.2% 2024 down 90.1% volatile
103 Croatia 0.2% 2021 down 2.5% flat
104 Trinidad and Tobago 0.2% 2024 up 234.6% volatile
105 Cuba 0.2% 2024 down 74.6% volatile
106 Northern Mariana Islands 0.2% 2024 down 12.7% falling
107 Samoa 0.2% 2024 up 37.4% rising
108 Antigua and Barbuda 0.1% 2024 down 78.6% falling
109 Turkey 0.1% 2024 down 48.6% falling
110 Moldova 0.1% 2024 down 1.9% rising
111 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 0.1% 2017 down 56.2% falling
112 Palestine 0.1% 2024 down 60.4% volatile
113 Bahamas 0.1% 2019 down 80.5% volatile
114 Saudi Arabia 0.1% 2024 down 7.1% falling
115 North Macedonia 0.1% 2024 down 54.7% falling
116 Tonga 0.1% 2024 down 35.8% falling
117 Qatar 0.1% 2024 up 0.0% flat
118 Costa Rica 0.1% 2024 down 80.2% volatile
119 Serbia 0.1% 2024 down 6.4% falling
120 Morocco 0.1% 2024 down 99.2% volatile
121 Jordan 0.1% 2024 down 43.4% volatile
122 Uzbekistan 0.0% 2024 up 0.5% falling
123 Gambia 0.0% 2024 down 97.1% volatile
124 Montenegro 0.0% 2024 down 64.3% falling
125 Algeria 0.0% 2024 down 97.1% volatile
126 Azerbaijan 0.0% 2024 down 77.9% falling
127 Guyana 0.0% 2024 down 98.0% volatile
128 Turks and Caicos Islands 0.0% 2024 down 25.6% falling
129 Armenia 0.0% 2024 down 22.9% volatile
130 Iraq 0.0% 2024 down 99.3% volatile
131 Georgia 0.0% 2024 down 98.3% volatile
132 Ukraine 0.0% 2024 down 4.2% volatile
133 Albania 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Andorra 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 United Arab Emirates 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Australia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Austria 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Belgium 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Bangladesh 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Bulgaria 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Bahrain 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.0% 2018 down 100.0% volatile
133 Belarus 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Bermuda 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Brazil 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Barbados 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% falling
133 Brunei 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Bhutan 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Canada 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Switzerland 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Chile 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 China 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Cayman Islands 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Cyprus 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Czechia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Germany 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Denmark 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Egypt 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Spain 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Estonia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Finland 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Fiji 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 France 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Faroe Islands 0.0% 2015 β€” flat
133 United Kingdom 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Gibraltar 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Greece 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Greenland 0.0% 2022 β€” flat
133 Hungary 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Isle of Man 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Ireland 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Iceland 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Israel 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Italy 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Japan 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Kazakhstan 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Kyrgyzstan 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 South Korea 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Kuwait 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Lebanon 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Liechtenstein 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Sri Lanka 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Lithuania 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Luxembourg 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Latvia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Macao 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Saint Martin (French part) 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Monaco 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Maldives 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Malta 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 New Caledonia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Netherlands 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Norway 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 New Zealand 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Oman 0.0% 2024 β€” volatile
133 Palau 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Poland 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Puerto Rico 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 North Korea 0.0% 2023 β€” flat
133 Portugal 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 French Polynesia 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Romania 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Russia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 San Marino 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Slovakia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Slovenia 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Sweden 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Seychelles 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% falling
133 Thailand 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Turkmenistan 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Uruguay 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 United States 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 British Virgin Islands 0.0% 2016 down 100.0% volatile
133 United States Virgin Islands 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Vietnam 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 French Guiana 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Reunion 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Montserrat 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile
133 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Falkland Islands 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Guernsey 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Jersey 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Saint Barthelemy 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Saint Helena 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.0% 2024 β€” flat
133 Tokelau 0.0% 2024 down 100.0% volatile

About this data

Indicator
Share of people practicing open defecation
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
232 places, 5,488 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Share of people who practice open defecation. This includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.