It's common to use a bathroom to ease your own needs, but toilets and bathrooms can vary widely around the world. Sanitation procedures, cleaning standards, plumbing and sanitation systems are extensive from place to place.

The Middle East

The most common toilet style in the Middle East is the squat toilet, although some places have Western style toilets/flushing toilets. Squat toilets are also known as "Turkish toilets".

China

Apart from hotels catering to Westerners, most of China has squat toilets.

Japan

Japan deserves its own section because Japanese toilets are among the most advanced in the world. These highly developed toilets have heated seats, bidet function and dryer function. No toilet paper or wipes required.

Europe

While European toilets are the same as standard porcelain American toilets, European bathrooms often come with an extra fixture: a bidet.

Latin/South America

While Western-style toilets are the norm in much of Latin America, discarding toilet paper in toilets is not allowed. The plumbing systems in most Latin American towns simply cannot handle toilet paper.

Africa

In North Africa, the toilet is a Western-style toilet. On the other hand, most African countries use squat toilets. In sub-Saharan Africa, many people in rural areas do not have any toilet facilities at all. People have to go outdoors, which causes many hygiene problems.