Share of people practicing open defecation in Mongolia
Mongolia: Share of people practicing open defecation was 4.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Mongolia, 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 Mongolia is 4.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 9.6% on the previous year and down 51.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Mongolia peaked at 19.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.3%, in 2024.
Mongolia ranks 54th 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 Mongolia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.8% | — |
| 2001 | 18.8% | -5.2% |
| 2002 | 17.8% | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 16.8% | -5.5% |
| 2004 | 15.9% | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 15.0% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 14.1% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 13.3% | -6.0% |
| 2008 | 12.4% | -6.2% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -6.4% |
| 2010 | 10.9% | -6.6% |
| 2011 | 10.3% | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 9.8% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 9.4% | -4.7% |
| 2014 | 8.9% | -4.9% |
| 2015 | 8.4% | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 8.0% | -5.4% |
| 2017 | 7.5% | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 7.1% | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 6.6% | -6.5% |
| 2020 | 6.1% | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | -8.1% |
| 2023 | 4.8% | -8.8% |
| 2024 | 4.3% | -9.6% |
Mongolia compared with similar countries
- Mongolia's 4.3% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 16.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Mongolia's 4.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2%, 27.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.6% | 11.6% | 19.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.7% | 6.6% | 10.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.3% | 6.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mongolia
More population data for Mongolia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.016 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1039 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.7782 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1039 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 297,893 people (2100)
- Population density 3.54 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.0708 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.02 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Mongolia?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Mongolia was 4.3% 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 Mongolia?
- The highest recorded value was 19.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Mongolia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.3% in 2024.
- How does Mongolia rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Mongolia ranks 54th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Mongolia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mongolia 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.