Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Uganda
Uganda: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 4.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Uganda, 2000–2024
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 Uganda stood at 4.2%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 10.6% on the previous year and down 54.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Uganda peaked at 16.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.2%, in 2024.
That places Uganda 62nd out of 175 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Uganda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.1% | — |
| 2001 | 15.6% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 15.1% | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 14.6% | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 14.1% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 13.6% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 13.1% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 12.6% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 12.1% | -3.9% |
| 2009 | 11.6% | -4.1% |
| 2010 | 11.1% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 10.6% | -4.5% |
| 2012 | 10.1% | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 9.6% | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 9.1% | -5.1% |
| 2015 | 8.6% | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 8.1% | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 7.7% | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 6.7% | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 6.2% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -8.0% |
| 2022 | 5.2% | -8.7% |
| 2023 | 4.7% | -9.6% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | -10.6% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 4.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 20% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 4.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 21% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.9% | 11.6% | 16.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.9% | 6.7% | 11.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.2% | 4.2% | 6.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 59 Vanuatu 6.1% compare
- 60 Dominican Republic 5.1% compare
- 61 Ecuador 4.9% compare
- 63 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.0% compare
- 64 Indonesia 3.8% compare
- 65 Equatorial Guinea 3.6% compare
More reference data data for Uganda
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.36 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4214 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.57 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 5.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 29.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 42.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.29 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Uganda?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Uganda was 4.2% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 16.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.2% in 2024.
- How does Uganda rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Uganda ranks 62nd out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.