Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural was 16.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
16.2%
Change on year
down 11.9%
World rank
20th
of 213 countries
All-time high
71.9%
in 2000
All-time low
16.2%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia, 2000–2024

204060802000201220242000: 71.92001: 69.52002: 67.22003: 64.82004: 62.52005: 60.12006: 57.82007: 55.42008: 532009: 50.62010: 48.32011: 45.92012: 43.52013: 41.22014: 38.82015: 36.52016: 34.22017: 31.92018: 29.62019: 27.42020: 25.12021: 22.92022: 20.62023: 18.42024: 16.2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2024, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia stood at 16.2%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 11.9% on the previous year and down 58.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia peaked at 71.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2024.

That places Ethiopia 20th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural (%) in Ethiopia, 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 71.9%
2001 69.5% -3.3%
2002 67.2% -3.4%
2003 64.8% -3.5%
2004 62.5% -3.6%
2005 60.1% -3.7%
2006 57.8% -3.9%
2007 55.4% -4.0%
2008 53.0% -4.3%
2009 50.6% -4.5%
2010 48.3% -4.7%
2011 45.9% -4.9%
2012 43.5% -5.2%
2013 41.2% -5.4%
2014 38.8% -5.7%
2015 36.5% -6.0%
2016 34.2% -6.3%
2017 31.9% -6.7%
2018 29.6% -7.2%
2019 27.4% -7.7%
2020 25.1% -8.2%
2021 22.9% -8.9%
2022 20.6% -9.7%
2023 18.4% -10.7%
2024 16.2% -11.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 61.3% 50.6% 71.9% 10
2010s 37.7% 27.4% 48.3% 10
2020s 20.7% 16.2% 25.1% 5

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 17 Ghana 17.8% compare
  2. 18 Haiti 17.5% compare
  3. 19 Sudan 16.4% compare
  4. 21 Mauritania 16.2% compare
  5. 22 Mozambique 16.0% compare
  6. 23 Djibouti 15.9% compare

See the full ranking of 268 places →

More infrastructure data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia?
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia was 16.2% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural recorded in Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 71.9% in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2024.
How does Ethiopia rank for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural?
Ethiopia ranks 20th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is down 58.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Ethiopia. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-practicing-open-defecation-by-urban-rural-percent/ethiopia/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
268 places, 6,379 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed