Squat toilet

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American squat toilet with tank (Saline, Michigan)

Toilet retrofit installation

A contemporary Japanese squat toilet including toilet slippers

A squat toilet (also known as an Arabic, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Iranian, Indian, Turkish or Natural-Position toilet; or Nile pan^[1]) is a toilet used by squatting, rather than sitting. There are several types of squat toilets, but they all consist essentially of a hole in the ground. The only exception is a "pedestal" squat toilet, which is of the same height as a sitting toilet. It is also possible to squat over sitting toilets, but this requires extra care as they are not specifically designed for squatting.^[2]

[edit] Types of squat toilets

The squat toilets are also known as alaturka (from Italian alla turca), Iranian Toilet, or kakkoos in Malayalam. In contrast to alafranga (alla franca) (sitting toilets) the user puts their feet on foot rests, facing the entrance to the cubicle. It is prevalent in Turkey (where sitting toilets are just now becoming more common in households), and can still be found in some public buildings and at motorway services in France (where almost 80% of Cafes still have squat toilets), Italy, Uruguay, Romania, Balkans and, more often, in the former USSR. In Argentina, Peru,and Bolivia, squat toilets can be found in older, lower class pubs, cafés and restaurants. It is also used in the Middle East and can be found in rural areas of Greece and Italy. It is also very common in Iran and prevalent throughout mainland China, Southeast Asia and South Asia.
The toilets of Asia vary greatly. The Japanese toilet, which is also found in Korea, mainland China and Taiwan, is shaped differently with a rectangular or oval shape and a lip at the flushing end to guard against urine. The user squats facing the flushing apparatus with their stool being deposited on the dry section opposite the flushing end, eliminating splashing but allowing some odor. When flushed, the higher, dry section of the toilet is washed towards the pool of water at the flushing end. In countries such as mainland China, South East Asia, and several South Asian countries, there are rural poor regions in which the squatt toilet are nothing but a communal trough dug in the ground shared by many users. When this occurs, the trough is usually concrete and plumbing may be non-existent. When water isn't available in arid areas, a hole is dug in the ground, stool is disposed in it and it is then covered using soil.

[edit] Gallery

Toilet used in passenger trains of Chinese Railways
A pedestal squat toilet found in Chiang Dao, Thailand
Retrofit squatting device for seated toilet
An older squat toilet
A stainless steel squat toilet found in public toilet of Victoria Park, Hong Kong
Dual-use Squat Toilet (can be used in sitting position)
Dual-use Squat Toilet (can be used in sitting position)
A French Squat Toilet