Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Benin
Benin: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 65.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Benin, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Benin stood at 65.1%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Benin peaked at 87.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 65.1%, in 2024.
Benin ranks 6th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 83.4% | 79.2% | 87.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.0% | 69.8% | 78.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.0% | 65.1% | 68.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Benin
- 3 Chad 77.6% compare
- 4 South Sudan 75.4% compare
- 5 Angola 65.5% compare
- 8 Solomon Islands 58.9% compare
- 9 Liberia 57.5% compare
More reference data data for Benin
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.8505 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural Soil 2,677 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop re 23.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 4,378 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Manure Management 221.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0.0882 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Manure Management 7.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.71 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Benin?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Benin was 65.1% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Benin?
- The highest recorded value was 87.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Benin?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.1% in 2024.
- How does Benin rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Benin ranks 6th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Benin?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Benin data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.