Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Rwanda
Rwanda: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 1.3% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Rwanda, 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 Rwanda is 1.3%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 8.3% on the previous year and down 45.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Rwanda peaked at 3.8% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 2024.
Rwanda ranks 79th of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3.8% | — |
| 2001 | 3.7% | -2.8% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 3.5% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -3.0% |
| 2005 | 3.3% | -3.1% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | -3.2% |
| 2007 | 3.0% | -3.3% |
| 2008 | 2.9% | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | -3.6% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | -3.7% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -3.8% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -4.0% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -4.2% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 2.1% | -4.8% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -5.0% |
| 2018 | 1.9% | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 1.8% | -5.5% |
| 2020 | 1.7% | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 1.6% | -6.2% |
| 2022 | 1.5% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 1.4% | -7.1% |
| 2024 | 1.3% | -8.3% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 1.3% is below the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 6% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 1.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 6% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.3% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More reference data data for Rwanda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.2282 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1223 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.7651 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9517 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.27 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.666 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Rwanda?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Rwanda was 1.3% 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 3.8% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 2024.
- How does Rwanda rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Rwanda ranks 79th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.