Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 20.4% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Ethiopia, 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 Ethiopia stood at 20.4%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 10.9% on the previous year and down 55.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Ethiopia peaked at 80.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 20.4%, in 2024.
That places Ethiopia 28th 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 80.7% | — |
| 2001 | 78.2% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 75.7% | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 73.2% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 70.6% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 68.1% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 65.6% | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 63.1% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 60.6% | -4.0% |
| 2009 | 58.1% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 55.6% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 53.1% | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 50.6% | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 48.1% | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 45.5% | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 43.0% | -5.5% |
| 2016 | 40.5% | -5.8% |
| 2017 | 38.0% | -6.2% |
| 2018 | 35.5% | -6.6% |
| 2019 | 33.0% | -7.1% |
| 2020 | 30.5% | -7.6% |
| 2021 | 28.0% | -8.2% |
| 2022 | 25.5% | -9.0% |
| 2023 | 22.9% | -9.9% |
| 2024 | 20.4% | -10.9% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 20.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 20.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 1.0× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 69.4% | 58.1% | 80.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.3% | 33.0% | 55.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 20.4% | 30.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More reference data data for Ethiopia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6564 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 20.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 25.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.2 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 100.94 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 121.79 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 7.47 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Ethiopia?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Ethiopia was 20.4% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 80.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.4% in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Ethiopia ranks 28th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.