Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural was 12.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zimbabwe, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 12.6% for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 6.7% on the previous year and down 41.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zimbabwe peaked at 33.1% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 12.6%, in 2024.
Zimbabwe ranks 31st of 249 countries on this measure, 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 Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 33.1% | — |
| 2001 | 32.9% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 31.8% | -3.3% |
| 2003 | 31.0% | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 30.2% | -2.6% |
| 2005 | 29.3% | -2.7% |
| 2006 | 28.5% | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 27.7% | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 26.8% | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 26.0% | -3.1% |
| 2010 | 25.2% | -3.2% |
| 2011 | 24.3% | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 23.5% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 22.6% | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 21.7% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 20.9% | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 20.0% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 19.1% | -4.5% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | -4.8% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | -5.1% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | -5.4% |
| 2021 | 15.4% | -5.7% |
| 2022 | 14.4% | -6.1% |
| 2023 | 13.5% | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 12.6% | -6.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 12.6% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6.7%, 1.9× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 12.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.4%, 87% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29.7% | 26.0% | 33.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.3% | 17.2% | 25.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.5% | 12.6% | 16.3% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 28 Sierra Leone 15.3% compare
- 29 Lesotho 14.8% compare
- 30 Somalia 14.4% compare
- 32 Micronesia 12.1% compare
- 33 Democratic Republic of the Congo 11.7% compare
- 34 Afghanistan 11.2% compare
More infrastructure data for Zimbabwe
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 15.68 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 94.25 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 298,047 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.79 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0179 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -3.75 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 298,047 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9425 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zimbabwe?
- Proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural in Zimbabwe was 12.6% 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 33.1% in 2000.
- What is the lowest proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.6% in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural?
- Zimbabwe ranks 31st out of 249 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of population practicing open defecation, by urban/rural rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 41.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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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