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Lavatory, privy, john, can, commode, dressing, head, bog, latrine or loo — the toilet has many names and comes in many guises. Most of us take this basic necessity for granted. On World Toilet Day we look at the progress made to provide people with healthy sanitation. Please spare a thought for the 2.4 billion people without access to private toilets or sewage facilities
Onboard the International Space Station, astronauts use the Waste Collection System, a water closet designed for zero gravity. The toilet uses suction fans and a waste processing system that exposes feces to outer space before sealing it away for disposal on Earth
Citizens of the Roman Empire rode this chariot toilet carved from Pavonazzetto marble in the Baths of Caracalla, around 2000AD. Running water and sanitation were widespread in Roman cities but deteriorated with the collapse of the Empire
The English priest Henry Moule invented the dry earth closet as a way to check the spread of cholera, then ravaging 18th century England. The Moule toilet mixes waste with dry soil to create compost instead of releasing human waste into the water system
Chamber pots are bowl shaped containers with handles and lids and were still common in Hong Kong in the 1970s. The city Public Works Department had a special division whose responsibility was to collect chamber pots for waste disposal
A common alternative to the sitting toilet is the squat toilet. The fixed in-ground commodes are common in Asia, Africa and the Middle East and, being easy to clean and maintain, are particularly popular as public conveniences
Early flushing toilets had a tendency to freeze in the winter and break. In 1778 English inventor Joseph Bramah patented his model replacing the valve in toilet bowls with a hinged flap sealing the bottom of the bowl
As one of the world’s most sophisticated toilets, Japan’s modern ‘super toilet’ often includes heated seats, water jets, and air-drying systems
Despite being considered the height of luxury, the opulent Palace of Versailles suffered from a lack of toilets. In 1768, Marie Antoinette installed an early version of a flush toilet in her chambers. Courtiers who lived at Versailles often had their own portable commodes, which were brought and removed by servants when needed
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Space toilet
Roman toilet
Moule toilet
Chamber pots
Squat toilet
Bramah's toilet
Japanesse toilet
Marie Antoinette's toilet
This graphic shows the improvement in access to toilets between 2005 and 2015. Choose a country to get more details
The overview shows that most countries have improved access to sanitaion services
world overview