Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas by country
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.
Countries reporting
172
Highest
88.7%
Eritrea
Lowest
0.0%
Tokelau
Median
0.4%
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
4,232
What the numbers show
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas is currently reported for 172 countries. The highest value is 88.7% in Eritrea; the lowest is 0.0% in Tokelau.
The median across all reporting countries is 0.4%, and the mean is 9.4%.
Over the past decade 15 countries rose and 108 fell. The largest increase was in Trinidad and Tobago (up 362.6%), and the largest decrease in Albania (down 100.0%).
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eritrea | 88.7% | 2016 | down 5.0% | falling |
| 2 | Niger | 78.1% | 2024 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 3 | Chad | 77.6% | 2024 | down 3.5% | falling |
| 4 | South Sudan | 75.4% | 2024 | down 2.3% | flat |
| 5 | Angola | 65.5% | 2022 | up 9.9% | rising |
| 6 | Benin | 65.1% | 2024 | down 12.6% | falling |
| 8 | Solomon Islands | 58.9% | 2024 | down 6.8% | falling |
| 9 | Liberia | 57.5% | 2024 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 10 | Namibia | 53.5% | 2024 | down 17.1% | falling |
| 11 | Togo | 50.9% | 2024 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 12 | Kiribati | 49.7% | 2024 | down 8.4% | falling |
| 13 | Sao Tome and Principe | 43.2% | 2024 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 14 | Burkina Faso | 42.3% | 2024 | down 32.0% | falling |
| 15 | Central African Republic | 38.8% | 2024 | up 4.5% | rising |
| 16 | Madagascar | 36.5% | 2024 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 17 | Mauritania | 36.3% | 2024 | down 34.7% | falling |
| 18 | Haiti | 31.5% | 2023 | down 17.0% | falling |
| 19 | Nigeria | 31.2% | 2024 | up 1.2% | flat |
| 20 | Cote d'Ivoire | 31.0% | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 21 | Ghana | 30.8% | 2024 | up 0.7% | flat |
| 22 | Somalia | 26.4% | 2024 | down 47.4% | falling |
| 23 | Bolivia | 24.9% | 2024 | down 39.3% | falling |
| 24 | Sierra Leone | 24.8% | 2024 | down 15.6% | falling |
| 25 | Sudan | 24.1% | 2024 | down 43.8% | falling |
| 26 | Mozambique | 23.5% | 2024 | down 46.6% | falling |
| 27 | Congo | 23.0% | 2021 | up 13.0% | rising |
| 28 | Ethiopia | 20.4% | 2024 | down 55.1% | falling |
| 29 | Lesotho | 19.7% | 2024 | down 42.6% | falling |
| 30 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 18.8% | 2024 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 31 | Zimbabwe | 18.8% | 2024 | down 40.8% | falling |
| 32 | Marshall Islands | 18.7% | 2024 | down 30.6% | falling |
| 33 | Papua New Guinea | 17.3% | 2024 | up 7.6% | rising |
| 34 | Botswana | 16.7% | 2024 | down 39.8% | falling |
| 35 | Afghanistan | 15.4% | 2024 | down 28.0% | falling |
| 36 | Laos | 14.3% | 2024 | down 63.1% | falling |
| 37 | Guinea-Bissau | 14.2% | 2024 | down 48.5% | falling |
| 38 | Mongolia | 13.7% | 2024 | down 48.1% | falling |
| 39 | Pakistan | 13.0% | 2024 | down 51.8% | falling |
| 40 | East Timor | 11.7% | 2024 | down 60.5% | falling |
| 41 | Senegal | 11.3% | 2024 | down 50.8% | falling |
| 42 | India | 10.7% | 2024 | down 76.0% | falling |
| 43 | Tanzania | 10.6% | 2024 | down 12.2% | falling |
| 44 | Cape Verde | 10.1% | 2024 | down 71.6% | falling |
| 45 | Colombia | 9.9% | 2024 | down 40.6% | falling |
| 47 | Cameroon | 9.7% | 2024 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 48 | Myanmar | 9.6% | 2024 | down 11.5% | falling |
| 49 | Kenya | 8.1% | 2024 | down 38.7% | falling |
| 50 | Yemen | 8.0% | 2024 | down 66.7% | falling |
| 51 | Argentina | 7.7% | 2014 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | Peru | 7.2% | 2024 | down 70.6% | falling |
| 53 | Guinea | 7.2% | 2024 | down 66.5% | falling |
| 54 | Saint Lucia | 7.1% | 2022 | up 1.9% | rising |
| 55 | Cambodia | 7.1% | 2024 | down 84.6% | volatile |
| 56 | Honduras | 7.0% | 2024 | down 58.4% | falling |
| 57 | Wallis and Futuna | 6.9% | 2024 | up 21.2% | rising |
| 58 | Mali | 6.1% | 2024 | down 57.4% | falling |
| 59 | Vanuatu | 6.1% | 2024 | up 79.5% | volatile |
| 60 | Dominican Republic | 5.1% | 2024 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 61 | Ecuador | 4.9% | 2024 | down 61.3% | falling |
| 62 | Uganda | 4.2% | 2024 | down 54.2% | falling |
| 63 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 4.0% | 2018 | up 34.3% | rising |
| 64 | Indonesia | 3.8% | 2024 | down 82.1% | volatile |
| 65 | Equatorial Guinea | 3.6% | 2017 | down 54.8% | falling |
| 66 | Philippines | 3.2% | 2024 | down 61.8% | falling |
| 67 | Zambia | 3.2% | 2024 | down 83.8% | volatile |
| 68 | Suriname | 3.2% | 2024 | down 67.2% | volatile |
| 69 | Gabon | 2.6% | 2024 | down 21.6% | falling |
| 70 | El Salvador | 2.4% | 2024 | down 73.2% | falling |
| 71 | Burundi | 2.3% | 2024 | down 5.3% | falling |
| 72 | Malawi | 2.2% | 2024 | down 73.3% | falling |
| 73 | Tuvalu | 2.2% | 2024 | down 68.2% | falling |
| 74 | Comoros | 2.1% | 2024 | up 41.9% | rising |
| 75 | Cook Islands | 1.5% | 2024 | up 8.7% | rising |
| 76 | Iran | 1.4% | 2016 | unchanged | flat |
| 77 | Guatemala | 1.4% | 2024 | down 85.2% | volatile |
| 78 | Syria | 1.4% | 2016 | down 45.3% | falling |
| 79 | Rwanda | 1.3% | 2024 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 80 | Malaysia | 1.1% | 2016 | down 50.9% | falling |
| 81 | Paraguay | 0.9% | 2024 | down 14.2% | falling |
| 82 | Turkey | 0.6% | 2024 | down 29.3% | falling |
| 83 | Saudi Arabia | 0.6% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 84 | Palestine | 0.6% | 2024 | down 41.2% | falling |
| 85 | Tajikistan | 0.6% | 2023 | down 27.0% | falling |
| 86 | Cuba | 0.5% | 2024 | down 74.5% | volatile |
| 87 | Belize | 0.4% | 2024 | down 77.2% | volatile |
| 88 | Jamaica | 0.4% | 2024 | down 51.2% | falling |
| 89 | Croatia | 0.4% | 2021 | unchanged | flat |
| 90 | North Macedonia | 0.3% | 2024 | down 51.8% | falling |
| 91 | Mauritius | 0.3% | 2024 | up 41.7% | rising |
| 92 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.2% | 2024 | up 362.6% | volatile |
| 93 | Moldova | 0.2% | 2024 | unchanged | rising |
| 94 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 0.2% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 95 | Montenegro | 0.1% | 2024 | down 28.8% | falling |
| 96 | Costa Rica | 0.1% | 2024 | down 79.7% | falling |
| 97 | Jordan | 0.1% | 2024 | down 79.4% | falling |
| 98 | Uzbekistan | 0.1% | 2024 | unchanged | flat |
| 99 | Samoa | 0.1% | 2024 | down 14.4% | falling |
| 100 | Tonga | 0.1% | 2024 | down 42.8% | falling |
| 101 | Serbia | 0.1% | 2024 | down 9.8% | falling |
| 102 | Azerbaijan | 0.1% | 2024 | down 59.0% | falling |
| 103 | Armenia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 7.0% | falling |
| 104 | Ukraine | 0.0% | 2024 | unchanged | volatile |
| 105 | Albania | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Andorra | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | United Arab Emirates | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Austria | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Belgium | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Bangladesh | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Bulgaria | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.0% | 2018 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Belarus | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Brazil | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Bhutan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Canada | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Switzerland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Chile | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 105 | China | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Cyprus | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Czechia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Germany | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Denmark | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Algeria | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Egypt | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Spain | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Estonia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Finland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Fiji | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | France | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | United Kingdom | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Georgia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Gambia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Greece | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Guyana | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Hungary | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Ireland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Iraq | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Iceland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Israel | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Italy | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Kazakhstan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Kyrgyzstan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Sri Lanka | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Lithuania | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Luxembourg | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Latvia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Morocco | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Maldives | 0.0% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 105 | Malta | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Netherlands | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Norway | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Nepal | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | New Zealand | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Oman | 0.0% | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 105 | Palau | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Poland | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | North Korea | 0.0% | 2023 | — | flat |
| 105 | Portugal | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Romania | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Russia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Slovakia | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Sweden | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Eswatini | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Thailand | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Turkmenistan | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Tunisia | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Uruguay | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | United States | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Vietnam | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | South Africa | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Falkland Islands | 0.0% | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Tokelau | 0.0% | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
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.