People practicing open defecation (% of population) by country
People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.
Countries reporting
214
Highest
67.0%
Eritrea
Lowest
0.0%
Vietnam
Median
0.1%
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
6,240
What the numbers show
People practicing open defecation (% of population) is currently reported for 214 countries. The highest value is 67.0% in Eritrea; the lowest is 0.0% in Vietnam.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.1%, and the mean is 5.1%.
Over the past decade 13 countries rose and 138 fell. The largest increase was in Trinidad and Tobago (up 234.6%), and the largest decrease in Albania (down 100.0%).
People practicing open defecation: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eritrea | 67.0% | 2016 | down 10.9% | falling |
| 2 | Niger | 66.0% | 2024 | down 9.2% | falling |
| 3 | South Sudan | 62.8% | 2024 | down 8.9% | falling |
| 4 | Chad | 62.2% | 2024 | down 5.8% | falling |
| 5 | Benin | 47.0% | 2024 | down 15.3% | falling |
| 6 | Solomon Islands | 45.3% | 2024 | down 11.0% | falling |
| 7 | Namibia | 34.7% | 2024 | down 19.9% | falling |
| 8 | Liberia | 33.9% | 2024 | down 20.5% | falling |
| 9 | Sao Tome and Principe | 33.3% | 2024 | down 32.2% | falling |
| 10 | Kiribati | 32.4% | 2024 | down 16.6% | falling |
| 11 | Togo | 32.2% | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 12 | Burkina Faso | 29.9% | 2024 | down 36.9% | falling |
| 13 | Madagascar | 27.0% | 2024 | down 21.0% | falling |
| 14 | Angola | 25.7% | 2022 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 15 | Central African Republic | 24.7% | 2024 | up 0.1% | rising |
| 16 | Nigeria | 18.0% | 2024 | down 13.7% | falling |
| 17 | Ghana | 17.8% | 2024 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 18 | Haiti | 17.5% | 2023 | down 24.5% | falling |
| 19 | Cote d'Ivoire | 16.7% | 2024 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 20 | Sudan | 16.4% | 2024 | down 49.2% | falling |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 16.2% | 2024 | down 58.2% | falling |
| 22 | Mauritania | 16.2% | 2024 | down 50.4% | falling |
| 23 | Mozambique | 16.0% | 2024 | down 52.0% | falling |
| 24 | Djibouti | 15.9% | 2023 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 25 | Papua New Guinea | 15.6% | 2024 | up 7.5% | rising |
| 26 | Sierra Leone | 15.3% | 2024 | down 21.5% | falling |
| 27 | Lesotho | 14.8% | 2024 | down 44.9% | falling |
| 28 | Somalia | 14.4% | 2024 | down 53.6% | falling |
| 29 | Zimbabwe | 12.6% | 2024 | down 41.9% | falling |
| 30 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 11.7% | 2024 | up 0.0% | rising |
| 31 | Afghanistan | 11.2% | 2024 | down 32.3% | falling |
| 32 | Micronesia (country) | 9.5% | 2014 | unchanged | flat |
| 33 | Laos | 8.7% | 2024 | down 69.2% | falling |
| 34 | Congo | 8.4% | 2021 | down 3.7% | flat |
| 35 | Pakistan | 8.2% | 2024 | down 54.4% | falling |
| 36 | East Timor | 7.9% | 2024 | down 65.7% | falling |
| 37 | Guinea-Bissau | 7.7% | 2024 | down 53.4% | falling |
| 38 | Bolivia | 7.1% | 2024 | down 56.9% | falling |
| 39 | Marshall Islands | 6.8% | 2024 | down 27.4% | falling |
| 40 | Tanzania | 6.8% | 2024 | down 23.0% | falling |
| 41 | Myanmar | 6.7% | 2024 | down 14.9% | falling |
| 42 | India | 6.7% | 2024 | down 79.8% | volatile |
| 43 | Saint Lucia | 6.2% | 2022 | down 6.9% | falling |
| 44 | Senegal | 6.1% | 2024 | down 54.3% | falling |
| 45 | Kenya | 5.9% | 2024 | down 42.7% | falling |
| 46 | Dominica | 5.6% | 2017 | down 47.0% | falling |
| 47 | Botswana | 5.4% | 2024 | down 49.6% | falling |
| 48 | Cambodia | 5.2% | 2024 | down 86.4% | volatile |
| 49 | Vanuatu | 5.0% | 2024 | up 81.0% | volatile |
| 50 | Yemen | 4.9% | 2024 | down 70.2% | falling |
| 51 | Guinea | 4.7% | 2024 | down 67.5% | falling |
| 52 | Cameroon | 4.4% | 2024 | down 24.7% | falling |
| 53 | Mongolia | 4.3% | 2024 | down 51.7% | falling |
| 54 | Mali | 3.9% | 2024 | down 59.3% | falling |
| 55 | Grenada | 3.5% | 2017 | up 27.8% | rising |
| 56 | Uganda | 3.5% | 2024 | down 53.5% | falling |
| 57 | Cape Verde | 3.4% | 2024 | down 84.4% | volatile |
| 58 | Honduras | 3.4% | 2024 | down 61.3% | falling |
| 59 | Panama | 3.1% | 2024 | down 38.8% | falling |
| 60 | Venezuela | 3.0% | 2021 | down 43.4% | falling |
| 61 | Equatorial Guinea | 2.9% | 2017 | down 54.3% | falling |
| 62 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2.5% | 2018 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 63 | Indonesia | 2.3% | 2024 | down 83.1% | volatile |
| 64 | Philippines | 2.2% | 2024 | down 62.9% | falling |
| 65 | Colombia | 2.1% | 2024 | down 51.0% | falling |
| 66 | Zambia | 2.0% | 2024 | down 83.6% | volatile |
| 67 | Burundi | 2.0% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 68 | Malawi | 1.9% | 2024 | down 72.8% | falling |
| 69 | Peru | 1.9% | 2024 | down 76.5% | volatile |
| 70 | Tuvalu | 1.8% | 2024 | down 61.5% | falling |
| 71 | Comoros | 1.8% | 2024 | up 36.9% | rising |
| 72 | Ecuador | 1.7% | 2024 | down 68.8% | falling |
| 73 | Dominican Republic | 1.7% | 2024 | down 41.1% | falling |
| 74 | Argentina | 1.5% | 2014 | down 25.5% | falling |
| 75 | Gabon | 1.3% | 2024 | down 22.5% | falling |
| 76 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1.3% | 2017 | down 34.4% | falling |
| 77 | Suriname | 1.2% | 2024 | down 65.1% | volatile |
| 78 | El Salvador | 1.2% | 2024 | down 67.7% | falling |
| 79 | Rwanda | 1.1% | 2024 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 80 | Guatemala | 1.0% | 2024 | down 82.5% | volatile |
| 81 | Aruba | 0.9% | 2024 | down 13.4% | falling |
| 82 | Nauru | 0.8% | 2024 | down 39.2% | falling |
| 83 | Guam | 0.7% | 2016 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 84 | American Samoa | 0.7% | 2014 | unchanged | flat |
| 85 | Syria | 0.7% | 2016 | down 42.4% | falling |
| 86 | Jamaica | 0.6% | 2024 | down 20.3% | falling |
| 87 | Belize | 0.6% | 2022 | down 69.5% | volatile |
| 88 | Libya | 0.6% | 2024 | down 0.7% | flat |
| 89 | Nepal | 0.5% | 2024 | down 98.1% | volatile |
| 90 | Tajikistan | 0.5% | 2023 | down 31.7% | falling |
| 91 | Iran | 0.4% | 2016 | down 16.4% | falling |
| 92 | Eswatini | 0.4% | 2024 | down 95.6% | volatile |
| 93 | Malaysia | 0.3% | 2016 | down 62.7% | volatile |
| 94 | Paraguay | 0.3% | 2024 | down 54.3% | falling |
| 95 | South Africa | 0.3% | 2024 | down 92.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Curacao | 0.3% | 2017 | down 53.8% | falling |
| 97 | Mauritius | 0.3% | 2024 | up 43.9% | rising |
| 98 | Tunisia | 0.2% | 2024 | down 90.1% | volatile |
| 99 | Croatia | 0.2% | 2021 | down 2.5% | flat |
| 100 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.2% | 2024 | up 234.6% | volatile |
| 101 | Cuba | 0.2% | 2024 | down 74.6% | volatile |
| 102 | Northern Mariana Islands | 0.2% | 2024 | down 12.7% | falling |
| 103 | Samoa | 0.2% | 2024 | up 37.4% | rising |
| 104 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.1% | 2024 | down 78.6% | falling |
| 105 | Turkey | 0.1% | 2024 | down 48.6% | falling |
| 106 | Moldova | 0.1% | 2024 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 107 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 0.1% | 2017 | down 56.2% | falling |
| 108 | Palestine | 0.1% | 2024 | down 60.4% | volatile |
| 109 | Bahamas | 0.1% | 2019 | down 80.5% | volatile |
| 110 | Saudi Arabia | 0.1% | 2024 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 111 | North Macedonia | 0.1% | 2024 | down 54.7% | falling |
| 112 | Tonga | 0.1% | 2024 | down 35.8% | falling |
| 113 | Qatar | 0.1% | 2024 | up 0.0% | flat |
| 114 | Costa Rica | 0.1% | 2024 | down 80.2% | volatile |
| 115 | Serbia | 0.1% | 2024 | down 6.4% | falling |
| 116 | Morocco | 0.1% | 2024 | down 99.2% | volatile |
| 117 | Jordan | 0.1% | 2024 | down 43.4% | volatile |
| 118 | Uzbekistan | 0.0% | 2024 | up 0.5% | falling |
| 119 | Gambia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 97.1% | volatile |
| 120 | Montenegro | 0.0% | 2024 | down 64.3% | falling |
| 121 | Algeria | 0.0% | 2024 | down 97.1% | volatile |
| 122 | Azerbaijan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 77.9% | falling |
| 123 | Guyana | 0.0% | 2024 | down 98.0% | volatile |
| 124 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.0% | 2024 | down 25.6% | falling |
| 125 | Armenia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 22.9% | volatile |
| 126 | Iraq | 0.0% | 2024 | down 99.3% | volatile |
| 127 | Georgia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 98.3% | volatile |
| 128 | Ukraine | 0.0% | 2024 | down 4.2% | volatile |
| 129 | Albania | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Andorra | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | United Arab Emirates | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Australia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Austria | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Belgium | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Bangladesh | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Bulgaria | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Bahrain | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.0% | 2018 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Belarus | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Bermuda | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Brazil | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Barbados | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 129 | Brunei | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Bhutan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Canada | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Switzerland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Chile | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | China | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Cayman Islands | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Cyprus | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Czechia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Germany | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Denmark | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Egypt | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Spain | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Estonia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Finland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Fiji | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | France | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Faroe Islands | 0.0% | 2015 | — | flat |
| 129 | United Kingdom | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Gibraltar | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Greece | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Greenland | 0.0% | 2022 | — | flat |
| 129 | Hong Kong | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Hungary | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Isle of Man | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Ireland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Iceland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Israel | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Italy | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Japan | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Kazakhstan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | South Korea | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Kuwait | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Lebanon | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Liechtenstein | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Sri Lanka | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Lithuania | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Luxembourg | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Latvia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Macao | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Saint Martin (French part) | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Monaco | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Maldives | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Mexico | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Malta | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | New Caledonia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Netherlands | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Norway | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | New Zealand | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Oman | 0.0% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 129 | Palau | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Poland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Puerto Rico | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | North Korea | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 129 | Portugal | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | French Polynesia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Romania | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Russia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Singapore | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | San Marino | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Slovakia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Slovenia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Sweden | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Seychelles | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 129 | Thailand | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Turkmenistan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | Uruguay | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | United States | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | British Virgin Islands | 0.0% | 2016 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 129 | United States Virgin Islands | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 129 | Vietnam | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- Africa Western and Central 21.5%
- Low income 17.2%
- Pacific island small states 16.7%
- Pre-demographic dividend 15.6%
- Heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) 15.5%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding high income) 15.5%
- Sub-Saharan Africa 15.5%
- Sub-Saharan Africa (IDA & IBRD countries) 15.5%
- Least developed countries: UN classification 12.6%
- IDA only 12.4%
- IDA total 12.0%
- IDA blend 11.4%
About this data
People practicing open defecation refers to the percentage of the population defecating in the open, such as in fields, forest, bushes, open bodies of water, on beaches, in other open spaces or disposed of with solid waste.