Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mozambique
Mozambique: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 23.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mozambique, 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 Mozambique is 23.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 8.0% on the previous year and down 46.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mozambique peaked at 72.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 23.5%, in 2024.
Mozambique ranks 26th of 175 countries on this measure, 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 Mozambique, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 72.8% | — |
| 2001 | 70.8% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 68.7% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 66.7% | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 64.6% | -3.1% |
| 2005 | 62.6% | -3.2% |
| 2006 | 60.5% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 58.5% | -3.4% |
| 2008 | 56.4% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 54.4% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 52.3% | -3.8% |
| 2011 | 50.2% | -3.9% |
| 2012 | 48.2% | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 44.1% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 40.0% | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 37.9% | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 35.9% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 33.8% | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 31.7% | -6.1% |
| 2021 | 29.7% | -6.5% |
| 2022 | 27.6% | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 25.6% | -7.4% |
| 2024 | 23.5% | -8.0% |
Mozambique compared with similar countries
- Mozambique's 23.5% is above the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Mozambique's 23.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 63.6% | 54.4% | 72.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.0% | 33.8% | 52.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.6% | 23.5% | 31.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mozambique
More reference data data for Mozambique
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.06 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2808 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 6.9 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 9.3 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 27.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.53 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mozambique?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Mozambique was 23.5% 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 Mozambique?
- The highest recorded value was 72.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Mozambique?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.5% in 2024.
- How does Mozambique rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Mozambique ranks 26th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Mozambique?
- Over the last ten years it is down 46.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Mozambique 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.