Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia
Zambia: Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural was 2.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2024, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia stood at 2.0%. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 32.1% on the previous year and down 83.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia peaked at 29.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 2.0%, in 2024.
Zambia ranks 72nd of 249 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 29.6% | — |
| 2001 | 28.4% | -4.1% |
| 2002 | 27.1% | -4.6% |
| 2003 | 25.8% | -4.8% |
| 2004 | 24.5% | -5.0% |
| 2005 | 23.2% | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 22.0% | -5.4% |
| 2007 | 20.8% | -5.6% |
| 2008 | 19.5% | -5.9% |
| 2009 | 18.3% | -6.2% |
| 2010 | 17.1% | -6.5% |
| 2011 | 16.0% | -6.9% |
| 2012 | 14.8% | -7.3% |
| 2013 | 13.6% | -7.8% |
| 2014 | 12.5% | -8.3% |
| 2015 | 11.4% | -9.0% |
| 2016 | 10.3% | -9.7% |
| 2017 | 9.2% | -10.6% |
| 2018 | 8.1% | -11.7% |
| 2019 | 7.1% | -13.0% |
| 2020 | 6.0% | -14.7% |
| 2021 | 5.0% | -17.0% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | -20.1% |
| 2023 | 3.0% | -24.7% |
| 2024 | 2.0% | -32.1% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 2.0% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 30% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 2.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.4%, 14% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -32.1% | 3.0% | 2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 23.9% | 18.3% | 29.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.0% | 7.1% | 17.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.0% | 2.0% | 6.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More infrastructure data for Zambia
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 23.17 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 108.7 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 73,688 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.3457 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0035 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -9.32 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 73,688 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.09 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0009 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia?
- Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zambia was 2.0% 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 29.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.0% in 2024.
- How does Zambia rank for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural?
- Zambia ranks 72nd out of 249 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 83.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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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