El Salvador vs Zambia: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas
El Salvador
2.4%
in 2024
Zambia
3.2%
in 2024
El Salvador rank
70th
Zambia rank
67th
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas over time
- El Salvador
- Zambia
How they compare
Zambia currently reports 3.2% against 2.4% in El Salvador, a difference of 0.8%.
That makes Zambia's figure about 1.3 times El Salvador's.
Across all 25 years both countries report, Zambia has been ahead every year.
El Salvador ranks 70th and Zambia ranks 67th of 175 countries.
Zambia has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | El Salvador | Zambia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.1% | 36.1% | 20.9% | Zambia |
| 2010s | 8.7% | 19.2% | 10.5% | Zambia |
| 2020s | 3.8% | 6.6% | 2.9% | Zambia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas, El Salvador or Zambia?
- Zambia, at 3.2% against 2.4% in El Salvador as of 2024.
- What is the difference in open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas between El Salvador and Zambia?
- 0.8%, with Zambia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for El Salvador and Zambia?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do El Salvador and Zambia rank globally for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- El Salvador ranks 70th and Zambia ranks 67th 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
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.