Squat toilet

There are two different attitudes towards squat toilets, largely dependent on what users are used to, or whether the toilet is at a public or private place: Some people regard squat toilets as more hygienic compared to sitting toilets. They might be easier to clean and there is no skin contact with the surface of the toilet seat.[11] For that reason, some people perceive them as more hygienic, particularly for public toilets.

Some people regard sitting toilets as "more modern" than squat toilets.[11] Sitting toilets have a lower risk of soiling clothing or shoes, as urine is less likely to splash on bottom parts of trousers or shoes. Furthermore, sitting toilets are more convenient for people with disabilities and the elderly.[12]

A trend towards more sitting toilets in countries that were traditionally using squat toilets can be observed in some urban and more affluent areas, in areas with new buildings (as well as hotels and airports) or in tourist regions.[11]

Squat toilet at a motorway service station near Toulouse, France. In areas of Europe where squat toilets are used, they are usually public toilets

Squat toilets are used in public toilets, rather than household toilets, because they are perceived by some as easier to clean and more hygienic, therefore potentially more appropriate for general public use.[11][13] For instance, this is the case in parts of France, Italy, Greece, or the Balkans, where such toilets are somewhat common in public toilets (restrooms).[13]

The following general statements can be made:

• Squat toilets are common in many Asian countries,[14] including Japan,[5] India[15] and Thailand.[16] They are also widespread in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Iran. They can still be found in developed nations like Singapore and Taiwan.[17]
• People in sub-Saharan African countries, especially in rural areas, widely use squat toilets, for example in Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda.[11]
• Much of the world's population use squat toilets, especially in rural areas of developing countries.
• Countries in the Middle East and North Africa often have both types of toilets, i.e. sitting and squatting.
• In Hindu or Muslim cultures, the prevalence of squat toilets is generally quite high, as is the practice of anal cleansing with water.[11]
• In Latin and South America, flush toilets are always of the sitting type, whereas dry toilets may be either of the sitting or a squatting type. The occurrence of squat toilets in urban areas of Latin America appears to be rather low.
• Squat toilets are rare in Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada and countries in Northern and Western Europe.[11] Where they do exist, they have usually been installed to accommodate visitors, tourists, students or recent migrants from Asia. These cases are still so rare that newspapers report about them: Examples include cases from the University of Melbourne[18] (Australia), the University of Auckland[19] (New Zealand) and national parks in the United States such as Yellowstone National Park[20] and Arches National Park.[21]

In Southern and Eastern Europe including parts of France, in Greece, Albania, Balkans, and Russia they are common, especially in public toilets.[22] But the trend in Russia is to move away from squat toilets. Squat pit latrine toilets are present in some rural areas of Eastern Europe.

Squat toilets are generally non-existent in Northern and Western Europe.[11] France and Italy are an exception and have some squat toilets remaining in old buildings and public toilets because they used to be the norm there in the early 20th century.[1]

Many areas in China have traditional squat toilets instead of sitting toilets, especially in public toilets.[23] Nevertheless, sitting toilets have increasingly become the norm in major urban areas and cities.[23] Sitting toilets are on the one hand associated with development and modernization, and on the other hand with reduced hygiene and possible transmission of diseases.[23]

The trend in Japan is to move away from squat toilets: According to Toto, one of Japan's major toilet manufacturers, the production of Western-style toilets increased rapidly since 1976.[24] In 2015, only 1% of all toilets produced by this company were squat toilets.[24]

Since the 1960s the trend has been to replace squat toilets at schools and public places with sitting toilets.[24] This trend is thought to accelerate in the run-up to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.[24]

Since the 1980s, high-tech sitting toilets are emerging that replace traditional squat toilets, especially in urban areas. One of those toilets with the brand name "Washlet" includes a "posterior wash" before wiping and features heated toilet seats. However, many rural people have no experience with such high-tech toilets and need detailed instructions.[25]