Share of people practicing open defecation in Madagascar
Madagascar: Share of people practicing open defecation was 27.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Madagascar, 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 Madagascar stood at 27.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.5% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Madagascar peaked at 44.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 27.0%, in 2024.
Madagascar ranks 13th 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.
Share of people practicing open defecation in Madagascar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 44.4% | — |
| 2001 | 43.8% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 43.1% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 42.4% | -1.6% |
| 2004 | 41.7% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 41.0% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 40.2% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 39.4% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 38.7% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 37.9% | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 37.2% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 36.4% | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 35.7% | -2.1% |
| 2013 | 34.9% | -2.1% |
| 2014 | 34.2% | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 33.4% | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 32.7% | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 32.0% | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 31.2% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 30.5% | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 29.8% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 29.1% | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 28.4% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 27.7% | -2.5% |
| 2024 | 27.0% | -2.5% |
Madagascar compared with similar countries
- Madagascar's 27.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 14.4%, 1.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Madagascar's 27.0% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 2.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.3% | 37.9% | 44.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.8% | 30.5% | 37.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.4% | 27.0% | 29.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
More population data for Madagascar
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.463 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.445 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.153 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.445 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 6.06 million people (2100)
- Population density 146.69 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2896 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.671 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Madagascar?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Madagascar was 27.0% 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 Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 44.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.0% in 2024.
- How does Madagascar rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Madagascar ranks 13th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Madagascar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Madagascar 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
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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.