Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Yemen
Yemen: Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas was 8.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Yemen, 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 Yemen is 8.0%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 16.7% on the previous year and down 66.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Yemen peaked at 43.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 8.0%, in 2024.
Yemen ranks 50th 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 Yemen, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 43.1% | — |
| 2001 | 43.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 43.1% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 41.5% | -3.7% |
| 2004 | 39.9% | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 38.3% | -4.0% |
| 2006 | 36.7% | -4.2% |
| 2007 | 35.1% | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 33.5% | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 31.9% | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 30.3% | -5.0% |
| 2011 | 28.7% | -5.3% |
| 2012 | 27.1% | -5.6% |
| 2013 | 25.5% | -5.9% |
| 2014 | 23.9% | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 22.3% | -6.7% |
| 2016 | 20.7% | -7.1% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | -7.7% |
| 2018 | 17.5% | -8.3% |
| 2019 | 15.9% | -9.1% |
| 2020 | 14.3% | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 12.7% | -11.1% |
| 2022 | 11.2% | -12.5% |
| 2023 | 9.6% | -14.3% |
| 2024 | 8.0% | -16.7% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 8.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 20.4%, 39% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 8.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.1%, 142.1× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 38.6% | 31.9% | 43.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.1% | 15.9% | 30.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 8.0% | 14.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
More reference data data for Yemen
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1676 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.77 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 4.35 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0827 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 4.35 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5619 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2189 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.38 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 17.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.4503 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Yemen?
- Open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas in Yemen was 8.0% 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 43.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.0% in 2024.
- How does Yemen rank for open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas?
- Yemen ranks 50th out of 175 countries with data for 2024.
- Is open defecation in rural areas vs. urban areas rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Yemen 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.