Statizoid

Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in China

China: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
0.0%
World rank
105th
of 175 countries
All-time high
3.9%
in 2000
All-time low
0.0%
in 2022
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in China, 2000–2024

012342000201220242000: 3.9 %2001: 3.9 %2002: 3.7 %2003: 3.5 %2004: 3.3 %2005: 3.1 %2006: 2.9 %2007: 2.7 %2008: 2.5 %2009: 2.4 %2010: 2.2 %2011: 2 %2012: 1.8 %2013: 1.6 %2014: 1.4 %2015: 1.2 %2016: 1 %2017: 0.857 %2018: 0.67 %2019: 0.483 %2020: 0.296 %2021: 0.109 %2022: 0 %2023: 0 %2024: 0 %

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 China stood at 0.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 100.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in China peaked at 3.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2022.

That places China 105th out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.2% 2.4% 3.9% 10
2010s 1.3% 0.5% 2.2% 10
2020s 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% 5

Countries ranked near China

  1. 102 Azerbaijan 0.1% compare
  2. 103 Armenia 0.0% compare
  3. 104 Ukraine 0.0% compare
  4. 105 Albania 0.0% compare
  5. 105 Algeria 0.0% compare
  6. 105 Andorra 0.0% compare
  7. 105 Antigua and Barbuda 0.0% compare
  8. 105 Austria 0.0% compare
  9. 105 Bangladesh 0.0% compare
  10. 105 Belarus 0.0% compare
  11. 105 Belgium 0.0% compare
  12. 105 Bhutan 0.0% compare
  13. 105 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.0% compare
  14. 105 Brazil 0.0% compare
  15. 105 Bulgaria 0.0% compare
  16. 105 Canada 0.0% compare
  17. 105 Chile 0.0% compare
  18. 105 Cyprus 0.0% compare
  19. 105 Czechia 0.0% compare
  20. 105 Denmark 0.0% compare
  21. 105 Egypt 0.0% compare
  22. 105 Estonia 0.0% compare
  23. 105 Eswatini 0.0% compare
  24. 105 Falkland Islands 0.0% compare
  25. 105 Fiji 0.0% compare
  26. 105 Finland 0.0% compare
  27. 105 France 0.0% compare
  28. 105 Gambia 0.0% compare
  29. 105 Georgia 0.0% compare
  30. 105 Germany 0.0% compare
  31. 105 Greece 0.0% compare
  32. 105 Guyana 0.0% compare
  33. 105 Hungary 0.0% compare
  34. 105 Iceland 0.0% compare
  35. 105 Iraq 0.0% compare
  36. 105 Ireland 0.0% compare
  37. 105 Israel 0.0% compare
  38. 105 Italy 0.0% compare
  39. 105 Kazakhstan 0.0% compare
  40. 105 Kyrgyzstan 0.0% compare
  41. 105 Latvia 0.0% compare
  42. 105 Lithuania 0.0% compare
  43. 105 Luxembourg 0.0% compare
  44. 105 Maldives 0.0% compare
  45. 105 Malta 0.0% compare
  46. 105 Mexico 0.0% compare
  47. 105 Morocco 0.0% compare
  48. 105 Nepal 0.0% compare
  49. 105 Netherlands 0.0% compare
  50. 105 New Zealand 0.0% compare
  51. 105 North Korea 0.0% compare
  52. 105 Norway 0.0% compare
  53. 105 Oman 0.0% compare
  54. 105 Palau 0.0% compare
  55. 105 Poland 0.0% compare
  56. 105 Portugal 0.0% compare
  57. 105 Romania 0.0% compare
  58. 105 Russia 0.0% compare
  59. 105 Slovakia 0.0% compare
  60. 105 South Africa 0.0% compare
  61. 105 Spain 0.0% compare
  62. 105 Sri Lanka 0.0% compare
  63. 105 Sweden 0.0% compare
  64. 105 Switzerland 0.0% compare
  65. 105 Thailand 0.0% compare
  66. 105 Tokelau 0.0% compare
  67. 105 Tunisia 0.0% compare
  68. 105 Turkmenistan 0.0% compare
  69. 105 United Arab Emirates 0.0% compare
  70. 105 United Kingdom 0.0% compare
  71. 105 United States 0.0% compare
  72. 105 Uruguay 0.0% compare
  73. 105 Vietnam 0.0% compare

See the full ranking of 175 places →

More reference data data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in China?
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in China was 0.0% 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 China?
The highest recorded value was 3.9% in 2000.
What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2022.
How does China rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
China ranks 105th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China 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

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.