Share of people practicing open defecation in Benin
Benin: Share of people practicing open defecation was 47.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Benin, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of people practicing open defecation in Benin stood at 47.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Benin peaked at 68.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 2024.
Benin ranks 5th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 64.1% | 60.0% | 68.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 55.1% | 51.2% | 59.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 48.7% | 47.0% | 50.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
More population data for Benin
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Population density 351.08 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.95 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 4.48 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 4.48 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 16,232 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 4.48 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 4.56 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 3.93 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Benin?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Benin was 47.0% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 68.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 47.0% in 2024.
- How does Benin rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Benin ranks 5th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. 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 for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of people practicing open defecation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.