Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mexico
Mexico: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 0.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mexico, 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 Mexico is 0.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 100.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mexico peaked at 24.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2023.
Mexico ranks 105th of 175 countries on this measure, 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 Mexico, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 24.2% | — |
| 2001 | 23.1% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 22.0% | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 20.9% | -5.0% |
| 2004 | 19.8% | -5.2% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | 17.6% | -5.9% |
| 2007 | 16.5% | -6.2% |
| 2008 | 15.4% | -6.6% |
| 2009 | 14.3% | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 13.2% | -7.6% |
| 2011 | 12.1% | -8.3% |
| 2012 | 11.0% | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 10.0% | -9.9% |
| 2014 | 8.9% | -11.0% |
| 2015 | 7.8% | -12.4% |
| 2016 | 6.7% | -14.1% |
| 2017 | 5.6% | -16.4% |
| 2018 | 4.5% | -19.7% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | -24.5% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -32.5% |
| 2021 | 1.2% | -48.1% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -92.6% |
| 2023 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0% | — |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 0.0% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.3%. (54 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 0.0% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.4%. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mexico 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -100.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| 2022 | -92.6% | 1.2% | 0.1% |
| 2021 | -48.1% | 2.3% | 1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.3% | 14.3% | 24.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 3.4% | 13.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7% | 0.0% | 2.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
- 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 Iraq 0.0% compare
- 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 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 Mexico
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.11 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 16.66 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.75 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 32.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 13.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 7.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 84.69 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 157.18 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 9.55 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mexico?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mexico 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 24.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2023.
- How does Mexico rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Mexico ranks 105th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 100.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mexico 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.