Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Tanzania
Tanzania: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 10.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Tanzania, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 10.6% for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Tanzania peaked at 14.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 10.6%, in 2024.
That places Tanzania 43rd out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.2% | — |
| 2001 | 14.0% | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 13.9% | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 13.7% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 13.6% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 13.4% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 13.3% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 13.1% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 13.0% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 12.8% | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 12.7% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 12.5% | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 12.4% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 12.2% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 12.1% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 11.9% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 11.8% | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 11.6% | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 11.5% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 11.3% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 11.2% | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 11.0% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 10.9% | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 10.8% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 10.6% | -1.4% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 10.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11.0%, 97% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 10.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 54% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.5% | 12.8% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 11.3% | 12.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.9% | 10.6% | 11.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More reference data data for Tanzania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 59.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 72.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Tanzania?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Tanzania was 10.6% 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.6% in 2024.
- How does Tanzania rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Tanzania ranks 43rd out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.