Congo vs Lesotho: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas

Congo
23.0%
in 2021
Lesotho
19.7%
in 2024
Congo rank
27th
Lesotho rank
29th

Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas over time

  • Congo
  • Lesotho
20304050200020122024

How they compare

Congo currently reports 23.0% against 19.7% in Lesotho, a difference of 3.3%.

That makes Congo's figure about 1.2 times Lesotho's.

Across all 22 years both countries report, Lesotho has been ahead every year.

Congo ranks 27th and Lesotho ranks 29th of 175 countries.

Lesotho has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Congo Lesotho Difference Ahead
2000s 17.5% 48.2% 30.7% Lesotho
2010s 21.8% 33.6% 11.8% Lesotho
2020s 23.0% 24.8% 1.8% Lesotho

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas, Congo or Lesotho?
Congo, at 23.0% against 19.7% in Lesotho as of 2021.
What is the difference in open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas between Congo and Lesotho?
3.3%, with Congo ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Congo and Lesotho?
22 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2021.
How do Congo and Lesotho rank globally for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
Congo ranks 27th and Lesotho ranks 29th of 175 countries.
Where does this data come from?
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
175 places, 4,232 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.