Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Iraq
Iraq: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Iraq, 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 Iraq 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 Iraq peaked at 14.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2017.
That places Iraq 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.
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.7% | — |
| 2001 | 13.7% | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 12.8% | -6.6% |
| 2003 | 11.9% | -7.1% |
| 2004 | 11.0% | -7.6% |
| 2005 | 10.1% | -8.3% |
| 2006 | 9.2% | -9.0% |
| 2007 | 8.3% | -9.9% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -11.0% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | -12.3% |
| 2010 | 5.6% | -14.1% |
| 2011 | 4.6% | -16.4% |
| 2012 | 3.7% | -19.6% |
| 2013 | 2.8% | -24.4% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | -32.2% |
| 2015 | 1.0% | -47.5% |
| 2016 | 0.1% | -90.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2018 | 0.0% | — |
| 2019 | 0.0% | — |
| 2020 | 0.0% | — |
| 2021 | 0.0% | — |
| 2022 | 0.0% | — |
| 2023 | 0.0% | — |
| 2024 | 0.0% | — |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 0.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%. (54 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 0.0% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.1%. (18 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Iraq changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | -100.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2016 | -90.4% | 1.0% | 0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.6% | 6.5% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 0.0% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
- 102 Azerbaijan 0.1% compare
- 103 Armenia 0.0% compare
- 104 Ukraine 0.0% compare
- 105 Albania 0.0% compare
- 105 Algeria 0.0% compare
- 105 Andorra 0.0%
- 105 Antigua and Barbuda 0.0% compare
- 105 Austria 0.0%
- 105 Bangladesh 0.0% compare
- 105 Belarus 0.0%
- 105 Belgium 0.0%
- 105 Bhutan 0.0% compare
- 105 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.0% compare
- 105 Brazil 0.0% compare
- 105 Bulgaria 0.0%
- 105 Canada 0.0%
- 105 Chile 0.0% compare
- 105 China 0.0% compare
- 105 Cyprus 0.0%
- 105 Czechia 0.0%
- 105 Denmark 0.0%
- 105 Egypt 0.0% compare
- 105 Estonia 0.0%
- 105 Eswatini 0.0% compare
- 105 Falkland Islands 0.0%
- 105 Fiji 0.0% compare
- 105 Finland 0.0%
- 105 France 0.0%
- 105 Gambia 0.0% compare
- 105 Georgia 0.0% compare
- 105 Germany 0.0%
- 105 Greece 0.0% compare
- 105 Guyana 0.0% compare
- 105 Hungary 0.0%
- 105 Iceland 0.0%
- 105 Ireland 0.0%
- 105 Israel 0.0%
- 105 Italy 0.0%
- 105 Kazakhstan 0.0% compare
- 105 Kyrgyzstan 0.0% compare
- 105 Latvia 0.0%
- 105 Lithuania 0.0%
- 105 Luxembourg 0.0%
- 105 Maldives 0.0% compare
- 105 Malta 0.0%
- 105 Mexico 0.0% compare
- 105 Morocco 0.0% compare
- 105 Nepal 0.0% compare
- 105 Netherlands 0.0%
- 105 New Zealand 0.0%
- 105 North Korea 0.0%
- 105 Norway 0.0%
- 105 Oman 0.0% compare
- 105 Palau 0.0%
- 105 Poland 0.0%
- 105 Portugal 0.0%
- 105 Romania 0.0%
- 105 Russia 0.0%
- 105 Slovakia 0.0%
- 105 South Africa 0.0% compare
- 105 Spain 0.0%
- 105 Sri Lanka 0.0% compare
- 105 Sweden 0.0%
- 105 Switzerland 0.0%
- 105 Thailand 0.0% compare
- 105 Tokelau 0.0% compare
- 105 Tunisia 0.0% compare
- 105 Turkmenistan 0.0% compare
- 105 United Arab Emirates 0.0%
- 105 United Kingdom 0.0%
- 105 United States 0.0%
- 105 Uruguay 0.0% compare
- 105 Vietnam 0.0% compare
More reference data data for Iraq
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2116 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.19 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3911 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7096 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.235 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 13.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 30.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Iraq?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Iraq 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 14.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2017.
- How does Iraq rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Iraq ranks 105th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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
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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.