Share of people practicing open defecation in Bolivia
Bolivia: Share of people practicing open defecation was 7.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Bolivia, 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 Bolivia stood at 7.1%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.2% on the previous year and down 56.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Bolivia peaked at 33.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 2024.
Bolivia ranks 38th of 232 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of people practicing open defecation in Bolivia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 33.4% | — |
| 2001 | 32.1% | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 30.8% | -3.9% |
| 2003 | 29.5% | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 28.3% | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 27.1% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 25.9% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 24.6% | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 23.4% | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 22.2% | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 21.1% | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 19.9% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 18.7% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 17.6% | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 16.5% | -6.4% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 14.3% | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 13.2% | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 12.1% | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 11.0% | -9.0% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | -9.8% |
| 2021 | 8.8% | -10.8% |
| 2022 | 8.2% | -7.0% |
| 2023 | 7.6% | -6.9% |
| 2024 | 7.1% | -7.2% |
Bolivia compared with similar countries
- Bolivia's 7.1% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bolivia's 7.1% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.6%, 12.4× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.7% | 22.2% | 33.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 11.0% | 21.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.3% | 7.1% | 9.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia
- 35 Pakistan 8.2% compare
- 36 East Timor 7.9% compare
- 37 Guinea-Bissau 7.7% compare
- 39 Wallis and Futuna 6.9% compare
- 40 Marshall Islands 6.8% compare
- 41 Tanzania 6.8% compare
More population data for Bolivia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0694 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1198 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.45 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1198 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 971,603 people (2100)
- Population density 16.39 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5952 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.29 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Bolivia?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Bolivia was 7.1% 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 Bolivia?
- The highest recorded value was 33.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Bolivia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 2024.
- How does Bolivia rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Bolivia ranks 38th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Bolivia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bolivia 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.
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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.