Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 0.6% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Saudi Arabia, 2016–2024
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 Saudi Arabia stood at 0.6%. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.6% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2016.
Saudi Arabia ranks 83rd of 175 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.6% | — |
| 2017 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.6% | +0.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.1%, 10.5× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 4 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Saudi Arabia?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Saudi Arabia was 0.6% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.6% in 2016.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2016.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 83rd out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 — 9 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.