Share of people practicing open defecation in Namibia
Namibia: Share of people practicing open defecation was 34.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of people practicing open defecation in Namibia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Namibia recorded 34.7% for share of people practicing open defecation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of people practicing open defecation in Namibia peaked at 59.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 34.7%, in 2024.
Namibia ranks 7th 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 Namibia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 59.2% | — |
| 2001 | 58.2% | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 57.0% | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 55.7% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 54.5% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 53.3% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 52.1% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 50.9% | -2.3% |
| 2008 | 49.8% | -2.3% |
| 2009 | 48.6% | -2.3% |
| 2010 | 47.5% | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 46.4% | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 45.4% | -2.3% |
| 2013 | 44.3% | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 43.3% | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 42.3% | -2.3% |
| 2016 | 41.3% | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 40.4% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 39.4% | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 37.7% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 36.1% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 35.4% | -2.1% |
| 2024 | 34.7% | -2.0% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 34.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 5.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 34.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 12.1%, 2.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 53.9% | 48.6% | 59.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.9% | 38.6% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 36.2% | 34.7% | 37.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
More population data for Namibia
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.1475 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.6736 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0916 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 357,079 people (2100)
- Population density 7.16 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.4525 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.52 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of people practicing open defecation in Namibia?
- Share of people practicing open defecation in Namibia was 34.7% 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 Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 59.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of people practicing open defecation recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 34.7% in 2024.
- How does Namibia rank for share of people practicing open defecation?
- Namibia ranks 7th out of 232 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of people practicing open defecation rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia 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.