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Open defecation
What this indicator measures
Share of the population without toilets who relieve themselves outdoors: fields, bushes, watercourses or other open places.
How to read this?
A value of 5% means 5 out of 100 people have no toilets.
Ranking : ranked from lowest to highest
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211countries with data
67 %maximum · Eritrea
0.1 %median
0 %minimum · Vietnam
2014–2024data year(s)
In brief
The "Open defecation" ranking covers 211 countries and territories. Lowest value: Vietnam (0 %). Highest value: Eritrea (67 %). Median: 0.1 % (data: 2014–2024). The top 10% of countries exceed 16 %, while the bottom 10% stay below 0 %. By continent, the median is highest in Africa (8.4 %) and lowest in Europe (0 %).
Median by continent
- Africa 8.4 % (51)
- South America 1.4 % (12)
- Oceania 0.7 % (19)
- North America 0.2 % (33)
- Asia 0 % (48)
- Europe 0 % (45)
Why this indicator matters
Relieving oneself outdoors increases the risk of disease. This indicator tracks populations with no sanitation facilities at all.
What makes this indicator vary
It depends on poverty, access to toilets, cultural habits, the lack of public latrines and sanitation programs.
Reading precautions
Data come from household surveys. The share is a national level that masks strong local differences.
Full ranking
ranked from lowest to highest
| Rank | Country | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1er | 🇦🇱 Albania | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇦🇩 Andorra | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇦🇺 Australia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇦🇹 Austria | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇭 Bahrain | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina | 0 % | 2018 |
| 1er | 🇧🇾 Belarus | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇲 Bermuda | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇧 Barbados | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇳 Brunei | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇧🇹 Bhutan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇨🇦 Canada | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇨🇱 Chile | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇨🇳 China | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇰🇾 Cayman Islands | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇨🇾 Cyprus | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇨🇿 Czechia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇩🇪 Germany | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇩🇰 Denmark | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇪🇸 Spain | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇫🇮 Finland | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇫🇯 Fiji | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇫🇷 France | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇫🇴 Faroe Islands | 0 % | 2015 |
| 1er | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇬🇷 Greece | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇬🇱 Greenland | 0 % | 2022 |
| 1er | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇭🇺 Hungary | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇮🇲 Isle of Man | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇮🇪 Ireland | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇮🇸 Iceland | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇮🇱 Israel | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇮🇹 Italy | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇯🇵 Japan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇰🇷 South Korea | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇰🇼 Kuwait | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇱🇧 Lebanon | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇱🇹 Lithuania | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇱🇻 Latvia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇲🇴 Macao SAR China | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇲🇫 St. Martin | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇲🇨 Monaco | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇲🇻 Maldives | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇲🇹 Malta | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇳🇨 New Caledonia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇳🇴 Norway | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇴🇲 Oman | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇵🇼 Palau | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇵🇱 Poland | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇰🇵 North Korea | 0 % | 2023 |
| 1er | 🇵🇹 Portugal | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇵🇫 French Polynesia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇷🇴 Romania | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇷🇺 Russia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇸🇲 San Marino | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇸🇨 Seychelles | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇺🇾 Uruguay | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇺🇸 United States | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇻🇬 British Virgin Islands | 0 % | 2016 |
| 1er | 🇻🇮 U.S. Virgin Islands | 0 % | 2024 |
| 1er | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 0 % | 2024 |
| 86e | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 0 % | 2024 |
| 87e | 🇬🇪 Georgia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 88e | 🇮🇶 Iraq | 0 % | 2024 |
| 89e | 🇦🇲 Armenia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 90e | 🇹🇨 Turks & Caicos Islands | 0 % | 2024 |
| 91e | 🇬🇾 Guyana | 0 % | 2024 |
| 92e | 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 93e | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 0 % | 2024 |
| 94e | 🇲🇪 Montenegro | 0 % | 2024 |
| 95e | 🇬🇲 Gambia | 0 % | 2024 |
| 96e | 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | 0 % | 2024 |
| 97e | 🇯🇴 Jordan | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 98e | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 99e | 🇷🇸 Serbia | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 100e | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 101e | 🇶🇦 Qatar | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 102e | 🇹🇴 Tonga | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 103e | 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 104e | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 105e | 🇧🇸 Bahamas | 0.1 % | 2019 |
| 106e | 🇸🇽 Sint Maarten | 0.1 % | 2017 |
| 107e | 🇲🇩 Moldova | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 108e | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 109e | 🇦🇬 Antigua & Barbuda | 0.1 % | 2024 |
| 110e | 🇼🇸 Samoa | 0.2 % | 2024 |
| 111e | 🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands | 0.2 % | 2024 |
| 112e | 🇨🇺 Cuba | 0.2 % | 2024 |
| 113e | 🇹🇹 Trinidad & Tobago | 0.2 % | 2024 |
| 114e | 🇭🇷 Croatia | 0.2 % | 2021 |
| 115e | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | 0.2 % | 2024 |
| 116e | 🇲🇺 Mauritius | 0.3 % | 2024 |
| 117e | 🇨🇼 Curaçao | 0.3 % | 2017 |
| 118e | 🇿🇦 South Africa | 0.3 % | 2024 |
| 119e | 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 0.3 % | 2024 |
| 120e | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 0.3 % | 2016 |
| 121e | 🇸🇿 Eswatini | 0.4 % | 2024 |
| 122e | 🇮🇷 Iran | 0.4 % | 2016 |
| 123e | 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | 0.5 % | 2023 |
| 124e | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 0.5 % | 2024 |
| 125e | 🇱🇾 Libya | 0.6 % | 2024 |
| 126e | 🇧🇿 Belize | 0.6 % | 2022 |
| 127e | 🇯🇲 Jamaica | 0.6 % | 2024 |
| 128e | 🇸🇾 Syria | 0.7 % | 2016 |
| 129e | 🇦🇸 American Samoa | 0.7 % | 2014 |
| 130e | 🇬🇺 Guam | 0.7 % | 2016 |
| 131e | 🇳🇷 Nauru | 0.8 % | 2024 |
| 132e | 🇦🇼 Aruba | 0.9 % | 2024 |
| 133e | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | 1 % | 2024 |
| 134e | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | 1.1 % | 2024 |
| 135e | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | 1.2 % | 2024 |
| 136e | 🇸🇷 Suriname | 1.2 % | 2024 |
| 137e | 🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis | 1.3 % | 2017 |
| 138e | 🇬🇦 Gabon | 1.3 % | 2024 |
| 139e | 🇦🇷 Argentina | 1.5 % | 2014 |
| 140e | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | 1.7 % | 2024 |
| 141e | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | 1.7 % | 2024 |
| 142e | 🇰🇲 Comoros | 1.8 % | 2024 |
| 143e | 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | 1.8 % | 2024 |
| 144e | 🇵🇪 Peru | 1.9 % | 2024 |
| 145e | 🇲🇼 Malawi | 1.9 % | 2024 |
| 146e | 🇧🇮 Burundi | 2 % | 2024 |
| 147e | 🇿🇲 Zambia | 2 % | 2024 |
| 148e | 🇨🇴 Colombia | 2.1 % | 2024 |
| 149e | 🇵🇭 Philippines | 2.2 % | 2024 |
| 150e | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | 2.3 % | 2024 |
| 151e | 🇻🇨 St. Vincent & Grenadines | 2.5 % | 2018 |
| 152e | 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | 2.9 % | 2017 |
| 153e | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | 3 % | 2021 |
| 154e | 🇵🇦 Panama | 3.1 % | 2024 |
| 155e | 🇭🇳 Honduras | 3.4 % | 2024 |
| 156e | 🇨🇻 Cape Verde | 3.4 % | 2024 |
| 157e | 🇺🇬 Uganda | 3.5 % | 2024 |
| 158e | 🇬🇩 Grenada | 3.5 % | 2017 |
| 159e | 🇲🇱 Mali | 3.9 % | 2024 |
| 160e | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | 4.3 % | 2024 |
| 161e | 🇨🇲 Cameroon | 4.4 % | 2024 |
| 162e | 🇬🇳 Guinea | 4.7 % | 2024 |
| 163e | 🇾🇪 Yemen | 4.9 % | 2024 |
| 164e | 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | 5 % | 2024 |
| 165e | 🇰🇭 Cambodia | 5.2 % | 2024 |
| 166e | 🇧🇼 Botswana | 5.4 % | 2024 |
| 167e | 🇩🇲 Dominica | 5.6 % | 2017 |
| 168e | 🇰🇪 Kenya | 5.9 % | 2024 |
| 169e | 🇸🇳 Senegal | 6.1 % | 2024 |
| 170e | 🇱🇨 St. Lucia | 6.2 % | 2022 |
| 171e | 🇮🇳 India | 6.7 % | 2024 |
| 172e | 🇲🇲 Myanmar (Burma) | 6.7 % | 2024 |
| 173e | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | 6.8 % | 2024 |
| 174e | 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | 6.8 % | 2024 |
| 175e | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | 7.1 % | 2024 |
| 176e | 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | 7.7 % | 2024 |
| 177e | 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | 7.9 % | 2024 |
| 178e | 🇵🇰 Pakistan | 8.2 % | 2024 |
| 179e | 🇨🇬 Congo - Brazzaville | 8.4 % | 2021 |
| 180e | 🇱🇦 Laos | 8.7 % | 2024 |
| 181e | 🇫🇲 Micronesia | 9.5 % | 2014 |
| 182e | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 11.2 % | 2024 |
| 183e | 🇨🇩 Congo - Kinshasa | 11.7 % | 2024 |
| 184e | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | 12.6 % | 2024 |
| 185e | 🇸🇴 Somalia | 14.4 % | 2024 |
| 186e | 🇱🇸 Lesotho | 14.8 % | 2024 |
| 187e | 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | 15.3 % | 2024 |
| 188e | 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | 15.6 % | 2024 |
| 189e | 🇩🇯 Djibouti | 15.9 % | 2023 |
| 190e | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | 16 % | 2024 |
| 191e | 🇲🇷 Mauritania | 16.2 % | 2024 |
| 192e | 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | 16.2 % | 2024 |
| 193e | 🇸🇩 Sudan | 16.4 % | 2024 |
| 194e | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | 16.7 % | 2024 |
| 195e | 🇭🇹 Haiti | 17.5 % | 2023 |
| 196e | 🇬🇭 Ghana | 17.8 % | 2024 |
| 197e | 🇳🇬 Nigeria | 18 % | 2024 |
| 198e | 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | 24.7 % | 2024 |
| 199e | 🇦🇴 Angola | 25.7 % | 2022 |
| 200e | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | 27 % | 2024 |
| 201e | 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | 29.9 % | 2024 |
| 202e | 🇹🇬 Togo | 32.2 % | 2024 |
| 203e | 🇰🇮 Kiribati | 32.4 % | 2024 |
| 204e | 🇸🇹 São Tomé & Príncipe | 33.3 % | 2024 |
| 205e | 🇱🇷 Liberia | 33.9 % | 2024 |
| 206e | 🇳🇦 Namibia | 34.7 % | 2024 |
| 207e | 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | 45.3 % | 2024 |
| 208e | 🇧🇯 Benin | 47 % | 2024 |
| 209e | 🇹🇩 Chad | 62.2 % | 2024 |
| 210e | 🇳🇪 Niger | 66 % | 2024 |
| 211e | 🇪🇷 Eritrea | 67 % | 2016 |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest value for "Open defecation"?
The highest value is in Eritrea, at 67 % (2016).
Which country has the lowest value for "Open defecation"?
The lowest value is in Vietnam, at 0 % (2024).
What is the world median value of "Open defecation"?
The world median is 0.1 %, calculated across 211 countries: half of the countries are above it, the other half below.
What is the value of "Open defecation" for France?
France scores 0 % (2024), ranking 1 out of 211 countries (ranked from lowest to highest).
Where does the "Open defecation" data come from?
It comes from Banque mondiale (WDI), d'après OMS/UNICEF – Programme commun de suivi. Site last updated: November 8, 2026. Each country is shown with the year of its most recent value.
What does this indicator measure?
The share of the population without toilets who relieve themselves in open places.
Why is this a health issue?
Because it promotes the spread of diseases linked to contaminated water, especially among children.
Source and update
Source : Banque mondiale (WDI), d'après OMS/UNICEF – Programme commun de suivi. Site last updated: November 8, 2026.
Indicators in the same category : Health and healthcare system
- PhysiciansNumber of physicians (general practitioners and specialists) per 1,000 inhabitants. Figures come from national registers and their years differ from one country to another.
- Hospital bedsNumber of inpatient beds available per 1,000 inhabitants, in public and private, general and specialized hospitals.
- Nurses and midwivesNumber of nurses and midwives (including auxiliaries) per 1,000 inhabitants. Definitions and years vary somewhat between countries.
- Health expenditureCurrent health expenditure (public and private) relative to the wealth produced by the country (GDP). It includes the care and health goods consumed during the year, not buildings or equipment.
- Share of health spending paid directly by patientsShare of health spending paid directly by patients at the time of care, without reimbursement by the state or an insurer.
- HIV prevalenceShare of people aged 15 to 49 living with HIV (UNAIDS estimate).
- UndernourishmentShare of the population whose usual diet does not provide enough energy for an active and healthy life (FAO estimate). Very low values are shown as "2.5", meaning "2.5% or less".
- Access to basic drinking waterShare of the population with at least a "basic" drinking water service: an improved source within a 30-minute round trip.
- Access to basic sanitationShare of the population with at least "basic" toilets: improved toilets not shared with other households.
- Measles vaccinationShare of children aged 12 to 23 months who have received at least one dose of the measles vaccine (WHO and UNICEF estimate).
- New tuberculosis casesEstimated number of new tuberculosis cases (including undetected cases) in a year, per 100,000 inhabitants (WHO estimate).