Afghanistan vs Zambia: People using improved drinking water sources

Afghanistan
3.77 million people
in 2024
Zambia
2.98 million people
in 2024
Afghanistan rank
19th
Zambia rank
22nd

People using improved drinking water sources over time

  • Afghanistan
  • Zambia
2.0M4.0M6.0M8.0M10.0M200020122024

How they compare

Afghanistan currently reports 3.77 million people against 2.98 million people in Zambia, a difference of 787,930 people.

That makes Afghanistan's figure about 1.3 times Zambia's.

Across all 25 years both countries report, Afghanistan has been ahead every year.

Afghanistan ranks 19th and Zambia ranks 22nd of 231 countries.

Afghanistan has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Afghanistan Zambia Difference Ahead
2000s 8.87 million people 3.23 million people 5.63 million people Afghanistan
2010s 7.39 million people 3.30 million people 4.08 million people Afghanistan
2020s 4.63 million people 3.08 million people 1.54 million people Afghanistan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people using improved drinking water sources, Afghanistan or Zambia?
Afghanistan, at 3.77 million people against 2.98 million people in Zambia as of 2024.
What is the difference in people using improved drinking water sources between Afghanistan and Zambia?
787,930 people, with Afghanistan ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Afghanistan and Zambia?
25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do Afghanistan and Zambia rank globally for people using improved drinking water sources?
Afghanistan ranks 19th and Zambia ranks 22nd of 231 countries.
Where does this data come from?
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Afghanistan vs Zambia: People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/number-of-people-in-the-world-with-and-without-access-to-improved-water-sources/afghanistan/zambia/

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<a href="https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/number-of-people-in-the-world-with-and-without-access-to-improved-water-sources/afghanistan/zambia/">Afghanistan vs Zambia: People using improved drinking water sources</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
People using improved drinking water sources
Unit
people
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
231 places, 5,586 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Number of people using only unimproved drinking water sources.