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.
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
- 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)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.21 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 5,258 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.21 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.21 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 2.0% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.21 live births per woman (2023)
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.
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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.