Share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador
Ecuador: Share of people practicing open defecation was 1.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador is 1.7%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 14.2% on the previous year and down 68.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador peaked at 11.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 2024.
That places Ecuador 73rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 11.2% | — |
| 2001 | 10.7% | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 10.3% | -4.1% |
| 2003 | 9.9% | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 9.4% | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 9.0% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 8.6% | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 8.2% | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | -4.9% |
| 2009 | 7.4% | -5.1% |
| 2010 | 7.0% | -5.4% |
| 2011 | 6.6% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 6.2% | -5.8% |
| 2013 | 5.9% | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 5.5% | -6.5% |
| 2015 | 5.1% | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 4.7% | -7.4% |
| 2017 | 4.3% | -8.0% |
| 2018 | 4.0% | -8.6% |
| 2019 | 3.6% | -9.4% |
| 2020 | 3.2% | -10.4% |
| 2021 | 2.8% | -11.6% |
| 2022 | 2.5% | -13.0% |
| 2023 | 2.0% | -19.5% |
| 2024 | 1.7% | -14.2% |
Ecuador compared with similar countries
- Ecuador's 1.7% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 6.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Ecuador's 1.7% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.6%, 3.0× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.3% | 7.4% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.3% | 3.6% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 1.7% | 3.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ecuador
More population data for Ecuador
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4058 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5775 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.47 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5775 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 792,284 people (2100)
- Population density 76.87 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6473 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.9392 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Ecuador was 1.7% 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 Ecuador?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Ecuador?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 2024.
- How does Ecuador rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Ecuador ranks 73rd out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Ecuador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 68.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ecuador 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.