Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural was 12.7% in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
12.7%
Change on year
down 6.5%
Rank
4th
of 23 regions
All-time high
34.1%
in 2000
All-time low
12.7%
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 2000–2024

01020302000201220242000: 34.12001: 33.32002: 32.42003: 31.52004: 30.52005: 29.62006: 28.62007: 27.72008: 26.72009: 25.82010: 24.82011: 24.42012: 23.52013: 22.62014: 21.62015: 20.72016: 19.82017: 18.72018: 17.82019: 16.92020: 16.12021: 15.32022: 14.52023: 13.52024: 12.7

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

Least Developed Countries (LDCs) recorded 12.7% for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of down 6.5% on the previous year and down 41.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) peaked at 34.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.7%, in 2024.

That places Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 4th out of 23 regions 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.

Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), year by year

Annual values for Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural (%) in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 2000 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2000 34.1%
2001 33.3% -2.5%
2002 32.4% -2.7%
2003 31.5% -2.9%
2004 30.5% -2.9%
2005 29.6% -3.2%
2006 28.6% -3.3%
2007 27.7% -3.2%
2008 26.7% -3.5%
2009 25.8% -3.6%
2010 24.8% -3.7%
2011 24.4% -1.6%
2012 23.5% -3.8%
2013 22.6% -3.9%
2014 21.6% -4.1%
2015 20.7% -4.3%
2016 19.8% -4.5%
2017 18.7% -5.5%
2018 17.8% -4.8%
2019 16.9% -4.9%
2020 16.1% -5.0%
2021 15.3% -4.8%
2022 14.5% -5.0%
2023 13.5% -6.9%
2024 12.7% -6.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 30.0% 25.8% 34.1% 10
2010s 21.1% 16.9% 24.8% 10
2020s 14.4% 12.7% 16.1% 5

Countries ranked near Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

  1. 1 Eritrea 67.0% compare
  2. 2 Niger 66.0% compare
  3. 3 South Sudan 62.8% compare
  4. 4 Chad 62.2% compare
  5. 5 Benin 47.0% compare
  6. 6 Solomon Islands 45.3% compare
  7. 7 Namibia 34.7% compare

See the full ranking of 268 places →

More infrastructure data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

All data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was 12.7% 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 Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The highest recorded value was 34.1% in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The lowest recorded value was 12.7% in 2024.
How does Least Developed Countries (LDCs) rank for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural?
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) ranks 4th out of 23 regions with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural rising or falling in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Over the last ten years it is down 41.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 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 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). 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/least-developed-countries-ldcs/

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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