Ethiopia vs India: People using improved drinking water sources

Ethiopia
16.98 million people
in 2024
India
22.33 million people
in 2024
Ethiopia rank
5th
India rank
4th

People using improved drinking water sources over time

  • Ethiopia
  • India
050.0M100.0M150.0M200020122024

How they compare

India currently reports 22.33 million people against 16.98 million people in Ethiopia, a difference of 5.35 million people.

That makes India's figure about 1.3 times Ethiopia's.

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

Ethiopia ranks 5th and India ranks 4th of 231 countries.

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

Head to head by decade

Decade Ethiopia India Difference Ahead
2000s 28.82 million people 133.97 million people 105.15 million people India
2010s 24.96 million people 83.29 million people 58.33 million people India
2020s 19.05 million people 35.88 million people 16.83 million people India

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people using improved drinking water sources, Ethiopia or India?
India, at 22.33 million people against 16.98 million people in Ethiopia as of 2024.
What is the difference in people using improved drinking water sources between Ethiopia and India?
5.35 million people, with India ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and India?
25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
How do Ethiopia and India rank globally for people using improved drinking water sources?
Ethiopia ranks 5th and India ranks 4th 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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Ethiopia vs India: 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 08 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/number-of-people-in-the-world-with-and-without-access-to-improved-water-sources/ethiopia/india/

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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/ethiopia/india/">Ethiopia vs India: 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.