Proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa

(SDGRC) Southern Africa: Proportion of population practising open defecation was 8.04 in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
8.04
Change on year
down 6.0%
Rank
29th
of 61 groups
All-time high
26.37
in 2000
All-time low
8.04
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa, 2000–2024

101520252000201220242000: 26.42001: 25.72002: 24.92003: 24.12004: 23.42005: 22.62006: 21.92007: 21.22008: 20.52009: 19.72010: 192011: 18.32012: 17.62013: 16.92014: 16.22015: 15.52016: 14.82017: 14.12018: 13.42019: 12.72020: 122021: 11.32022: 10.72023: 8.62024: 8

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

In 2024, proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa stood at 8.04. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 6.0% on the previous year and down 50.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa peaked at 26.37 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 8.04, in 2024.

That places (SDGRC) Southern Africa 29th out of 61 groups 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.

Proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population practising open defecation (Sanitation) in (SDGRC) Southern Africa, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 26.37
2001 25.66 -2.7%
2002 24.86 -3.1%
2003 24.11 -3.0%
2004 23.36 -3.1%
2005 22.62 -3.2%
2006 21.9 -3.2%
2007 21.19 -3.3%
2008 20.46 -3.4%
2009 19.74 -3.5%
2010 19.02 -3.6%
2011 18.32 -3.7%
2012 17.61 -3.9%
2013 16.9 -4.0%
2014 16.19 -4.2%
2015 15.47 -4.5%
2016 14.8 -4.4%
2017 14.14 -4.5%
2018 13.44 -4.9%
2019 12.73 -5.3%
2020 12.03 -5.5%
2021 11.34 -5.8%
2022 10.67 -5.9%
2023 8.56 -19.8%
2024 8.04 -6.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 23.03 19.74 26.37 10
2010s 15.86 12.73 19.02 10
2020s 10.13 8.04 12.03 5

Countries ranked near (SDGRC) Southern Africa

  1. 26 Sierra Leone 15.35 compare
  2. 27 Lesotho 14.76 compare
  3. 28 Somalia 14.44 compare
  4. 29 Zimbabwe 12.63 compare
  5. 30 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 11.66 compare
  6. 31 Afghanistan 11.17 compare
  7. 32 Micronesia, Federated States of 9.5 compare

See the full ranking of 292 places →

More population data for (SDGRC) Southern Africa

All data for (SDGRC) Southern Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa?
Proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa was 8.04 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest proportion of population practising open defecation recorded in (SDGRC) Southern Africa?
The highest recorded value was 26.37 in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of population practising open defecation recorded in (SDGRC) Southern Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 8.04 in 2024.
How does (SDGRC) Southern Africa rank for proportion of population practising open defecation?
(SDGRC) Southern Africa ranks 29th out of 61 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population practising open defecation rising or falling in (SDGRC) Southern Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 50.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this (SDGRC) Southern Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Proportion of population practising open defecation (Sanitation). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population practising open defecation in (SDGRC) Southern Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 23 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-practising-open-defecation-sanitation/sdgrc-southern-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population practising open defecation (Sanitation)
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
292 places, 6,980 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed