Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural was 15.5% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa is 15.5%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 30.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 31.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.5%, in 2024.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd of 32 groups on this measure, 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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.2% | — |
| 2001 | 30.6% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 29.9% | -2.2% |
| 2003 | 29.2% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 28.6% | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 27.9% | -2.4% |
| 2006 | 27.2% | -2.4% |
| 2007 | 26.6% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 25.9% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 25.2% | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 24.5% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 24.4% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 23.7% | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 23.0% | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 22.4% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 21.7% | -3.1% |
| 2016 | 21.0% | -3.2% |
| 2017 | 20.1% | -4.0% |
| 2018 | 19.5% | -3.2% |
| 2019 | 18.8% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 18.2% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 17.5% | -3.7% |
| 2022 | 16.9% | -3.4% |
| 2023 | 16.0% | -5.2% |
| 2024 | 15.5% | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.2% | 25.2% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.9% | 18.8% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.8% | 15.5% | 18.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Eritrea 67.0% compare
- 2 Niger 66.0% compare
- 3 South Sudan 62.8% compare
- 4 Chad 62.2% compare
- 5 Benin 47.0% compare
- 6 Democratic Republic of the Congo 11.7% compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 45.3% compare
More infrastructure data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.20 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 90.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 5.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -16.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 5.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9049 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Sub-Saharan Africa was 15.5% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 31.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.5% in 2024.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 3rd out of 32 groups with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 30.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).