Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Cape Verde
Cape Verde: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 10.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Cape Verde, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cape Verde recorded 10.1% for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.1% on the previous year and down 71.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Cape Verde peaked at 71.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 10.1%, in 2024.
That places Cape Verde 44th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Cape Verde, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 71.3% | — |
| 2001 | 68.8% | -3.6% |
| 2002 | 66.2% | -3.7% |
| 2003 | 63.7% | -3.9% |
| 2004 | 61.1% | -4.0% |
| 2005 | 58.6% | -4.2% |
| 2006 | 56.0% | -4.4% |
| 2007 | 53.5% | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 50.9% | -4.8% |
| 2009 | 48.4% | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 45.8% | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 43.3% | -5.6% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 38.2% | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 35.6% | -6.7% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | -7.2% |
| 2016 | 30.5% | -7.7% |
| 2017 | 28.0% | -8.4% |
| 2018 | 25.4% | -9.1% |
| 2019 | 22.9% | -10.0% |
| 2020 | 20.3% | -11.2% |
| 2021 | 17.8% | -12.6% |
| 2022 | 15.2% | -14.4% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | -16.8% |
| 2024 | 10.1% | -20.1% |
Cape Verde compared with similar countries
- Cape Verde's 10.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%, 37.9× the median. (54 countries reporting)
- Cape Verde's 10.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 51% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 59.9% | 48.4% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 34.4% | 22.9% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.2% | 10.1% | 20.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cape Verde
More reference data data for Cape Verde
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.0737 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0284 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0443 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Enteric Fermentation 74.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 0.0959 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 92.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Enteric 74.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 2.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure left on Pasture 33.15 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Cape Verde?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Cape Verde was 10.1% 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 Cape Verde?
- The highest recorded value was 71.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Cape Verde?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.1% in 2024.
- How does Cape Verde rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Cape Verde ranks 44th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Cape Verde?
- Over the last ten years it is down 71.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Cape Verde 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.