Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 18.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Democratic Republic of Congo, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Democratic Republic of Congo is 18.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 18.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14.7%, in 2000.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 30th of 175 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.6% | 14.7% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 16.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.8% | 18.8% | 18.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More reference data data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Burning - Crop residues 293.08 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Manure Management 220.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 3,924 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 3,062 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 9.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop re 235.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure applied to Soils 313.43 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0.2179 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Manure applied to 313.43 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Democratic Republic of Congo was 18.8% 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 18.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.7% in 2000.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 30th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.