Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas by country
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.
Countries reporting
172
Highest
97.69 million people
India
Lowest
0 people
Tokelau
Median
2,394 people
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
4,232
What the numbers show
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas is currently reported for 172 countries. The highest value is 97.69 million people in India; the lowest is 0 people in Tokelau.
The median across all reporting countries is 2,394 people, and the mean is 1.87 million people.
Over the past decade 23 countries rose and 111 fell. The largest increase was in Trinidad and Tobago (up 389.2%), and the largest decrease in Albania (down 100.0%).
Sanitation facilities usage in rural areas: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 97.69 million people | 2024 | down 75.2% | falling |
| 2 | Nigeria | 32.68 million people | 2024 | up 7.4% | rising |
| 3 | Ethiopia | 20.60 million people | 2024 | down 44.8% | falling |
| 4 | Pakistan | 20.07 million people | 2024 | down 45.7% | falling |
| 5 | Niger | 17.47 million people | 2024 | up 29.1% | rising |
| 6 | Chad | 11.86 million people | 2024 | up 33.9% | rising |
| 7 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 10.70 million people | 2024 | up 34.0% | rising |
| 8 | Sudan | 7.70 million people | 2024 | down 30.4% | falling |
| 9 | Angola | 7.45 million people | 2022 | up 28.2% | rising |
| 10 | South Sudan | 7.06 million people | 2024 | up 0.2% | flat |
| 11 | Madagascar | 6.86 million people | 2024 | down 2.7% | rising |
| 12 | Burkina Faso | 6.66 million people | 2024 | down 19.7% | falling |
| 13 | Mozambique | 4.94 million people | 2024 | down 34.2% | falling |
| 14 | Afghanistan | 4.76 million people | 2024 | down 9.7% | flat |
| 15 | Benin | 4.65 million people | 2024 | up 3.2% | rising |
| 16 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4.59 million people | 2024 | down 16.3% | falling |
| 17 | Tanzania | 4.50 million people | 2024 | up 7.0% | rising |
| 18 | Indonesia | 4.44 million people | 2024 | down 83.1% | volatile |
| 19 | Ghana | 4.25 million people | 2024 | up 6.5% | rising |
| 20 | Myanmar | 3.53 million people | 2024 | down 8.6% | falling |
| 21 | Kenya | 3.21 million people | 2024 | down 29.7% | falling |
| 22 | Togo | 2.66 million people | 2024 | down 9.9% | falling |
| 23 | Somalia | 2.58 million people | 2024 | down 32.7% | falling |
| 24 | Zimbabwe | 2.10 million people | 2024 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 25 | Philippines | 1.93 million people | 2024 | down 59.4% | falling |
| 26 | Yemen | 1.92 million people | 2024 | down 59.6% | falling |
| 27 | Eritrea | 1.69 million people | 2016 | down 1.1% | flat |
| 28 | Papua New Guinea | 1.58 million people | 2024 | up 32.2% | rising |
| 29 | Uganda | 1.52 million people | 2024 | down 41.8% | falling |
| 30 | Liberia | 1.48 million people | 2024 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 31 | Haiti | 1.48 million people | 2023 | down 23.1% | falling |
| 32 | Sierra Leone | 1.18 million people | 2024 | down 1.6% | rising |
| 33 | Central African Republic | 1.16 million people | 2024 | up 12.1% | rising |
| 34 | Cameroon | 1.13 million people | 2024 | down 4.1% | flat |
| 35 | Senegal | 1.04 million people | 2024 | down 41.1% | falling |
| 36 | Cambodia | 924,670 people | 2024 | down 83.3% | falling |
| 37 | Colombia | 908,735 people | 2024 | down 43.2% | falling |
| 38 | Bolivia | 880,645 people | 2024 | down 38.1% | falling |
| 39 | Mali | 792,478 people | 2024 | down 49.5% | falling |
| 40 | Mauritania | 780,262 people | 2024 | down 26.8% | falling |
| 41 | Namibia | 716,848 people | 2024 | down 11.3% | falling |
| 42 | Laos | 678,318 people | 2024 | down 61.3% | falling |
| 43 | Guinea | 648,978 people | 2024 | down 59.4% | falling |
| 44 | Peru | 516,637 people | 2024 | down 69.5% | falling |
| 45 | Congo | 430,056 people | 2021 | up 26.2% | rising |
| 46 | Malawi | 387,153 people | 2024 | down 66.3% | falling |
| 47 | Zambia | 367,696 people | 2024 | down 80.3% | falling |
| 48 | Solomon Islands | 354,663 people | 2024 | up 16.5% | rising |
| 49 | Lesotho | 318,237 people | 2024 | down 39.4% | falling |
| 50 | Iran | 313,052 people | 2016 | down 6.1% | falling |
| 51 | Ecuador | 310,092 people | 2024 | down 58.3% | falling |
| 52 | Honduras | 295,640 people | 2024 | down 57.2% | falling |
| 53 | Argentina | 285,250 people | 2014 | down 4.5% | flat |
| 54 | Burundi | 271,391 people | 2024 | up 18.5% | rising |
| 55 | Guinea-Bissau | 168,600 people | 2024 | down 39.6% | falling |
| 56 | Djibouti | 158,584 people | 2023 | up 7.7% | rising |
| 57 | Rwanda | 146,381 people | 2024 | down 32.9% | falling |
| 58 | Mongolia | 146,226 people | 2024 | down 40.3% | falling |
| 59 | Panama | 132,686 people | 2024 | down 23.8% | falling |
| 60 | Syria | 125,582 people | 2016 | down 45.0% | falling |
| 61 | Guatemala | 119,809 people | 2024 | down 84.0% | falling |
| 62 | Turkey | 118,925 people | 2024 | down 34.9% | falling |
| 63 | Botswana | 111,298 people | 2024 | down 45.0% | falling |
| 64 | East Timor | 110,407 people | 2024 | down 55.6% | falling |
| 65 | Malaysia | 89,970 people | 2016 | down 54.3% | falling |
| 66 | Dominican Republic | 86,573 people | 2024 | down 45.5% | falling |
| 67 | Tajikistan | 41,064 people | 2023 | down 9.8% | falling |
| 68 | El Salvador | 36,926 people | 2024 | down 78.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Saudi Arabia | 29,709 people | 2024 | down 1.2% | flat |
| 70 | Kiribati | 27,806 people | 2024 | down 9.8% | falling |
| 71 | Paraguay | 23,685 people | 2024 | down 9.5% | falling |
| 72 | Sao Tome and Principe | 23,401 people | 2024 | down 34.6% | falling |
| 73 | Uzbekistan | 17,953 people | 2024 | up 20.9% | rising |
| 74 | Cape Verde | 16,777 people | 2024 | down 74.6% | volatile |
| 75 | Equatorial Guinea | 16,093 people | 2017 | down 50.3% | falling |
| 76 | Vanuatu | 14,678 people | 2024 | up 122.2% | volatile |
| 77 | Comoros | 12,776 people | 2024 | up 67.8% | rising |
| 78 | Cuba | 11,083 people | 2024 | down 76.1% | volatile |
| 79 | Saint Lucia | 10,343 people | 2022 | up 4.8% | rising |
| 80 | Palestine | 7,007 people | 2024 | down 35.0% | falling |
| 81 | Suriname | 6,894 people | 2024 | down 64.3% | volatile |
| 82 | Croatia | 5,982 people | 2021 | down 13.6% | falling |
| 83 | Gabon | 5,790 people | 2024 | down 29.2% | falling |
| 84 | Jamaica | 4,343 people | 2024 | down 53.9% | falling |
| 85 | Moldova | 3,994 people | 2024 | down 10.9% | rising |
| 86 | Azerbaijan | 2,730 people | 2024 | down 59.4% | falling |
| 87 | Serbia | 2,058 people | 2024 | down 19.3% | falling |
| 88 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2,023 people | 2018 | up 17.1% | rising |
| 89 | Mauritius | 2,003 people | 2024 | up 39.8% | rising |
| 90 | North Macedonia | 1,957 people | 2024 | down 58.7% | falling |
| 91 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1,647 people | 2024 | up 389.2% | volatile |
| 92 | Marshall Islands | 1,459 people | 2024 | down 55.8% | falling |
| 93 | Jordan | 1,009 people | 2024 | down 78.9% | volatile |
| 94 | Belize | 973.56 people | 2024 | down 73.5% | volatile |
| 95 | Costa Rica | 968.85 people | 2024 | down 84.7% | volatile |
| 96 | Wallis and Futuna | 780.36 people | 2024 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 97 | Ukraine | 432.71 people | 2024 | down 21.1% | volatile |
| 98 | Armenia | 312.38 people | 2024 | down 7.5% | falling |
| 99 | Montenegro | 256.07 people | 2024 | down 35.0% | falling |
| 100 | Samoa | 159.26 people | 2024 | down 4.7% | falling |
| 101 | Tuvalu | 69.03 people | 2024 | down 77.6% | volatile |
| 102 | Tonga | 67.34 people | 2024 | down 44.1% | falling |
| 103 | Cook Islands | 47.29 people | 2024 | down 22.2% | falling |
| 104 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 5.99 people | 2024 | down 9.6% | falling |
| 105 | Albania | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Andorra | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | United Arab Emirates | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Antigua and Barbuda | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Austria | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Belgium | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Bangladesh | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Bulgaria | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 people | 2018 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Belarus | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Brazil | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Bhutan | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Canada | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Switzerland | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Chile | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 105 | China | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Cyprus | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Czechia | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Germany | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Denmark | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Algeria | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Egypt | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Spain | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Estonia | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Finland | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Fiji | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | France | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | United Kingdom | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Georgia | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Gambia | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Greece | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Guyana | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Hungary | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Iraq | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Iceland | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Israel | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Italy | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Kazakhstan | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Kyrgyzstan | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Sri Lanka | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Lithuania | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Latvia | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Morocco | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Maldives | 0 people | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 105 | Mexico | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Netherlands | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Norway | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Nepal | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | New Zealand | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Oman | 0 people | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 105 | Palau | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Poland | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | North Korea | 0 people | 2023 | — | flat |
| 105 | Portugal | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Romania | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Russia | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Slovakia | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Sweden | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Eswatini | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Thailand | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Turkmenistan | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Tunisia | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Uruguay | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | United States | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Vietnam | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | South Africa | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 105 | Falkland Islands | 0 people | 2024 | — | flat |
| 105 | Tokelau | 0 people | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
About this data
Open defecation includes defecating in fields, forests, bushes, bodies of water or other open spaces, not using any sanitation facilities.