Somalia vs South Sudan: People not using improved drinking water sources

Somalia
3.25 million people
in 2024
South Sudan
2.67 million people
in 2024
Somalia rank
27th
South Sudan rank
30th

People not using improved drinking water sources over time

  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
02.0M4.0M6.0M200020122024

How they compare

Somalia currently reports 3.25 million people against 2.67 million people in South Sudan, a difference of 578,050 people.

That makes Somalia's figure about 1.2 times South Sudan's.

Across all 14 years both countries report, Somalia has been ahead every year.

Somalia ranks 27th and South Sudan ranks 30th of 231 countries.

Somalia has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Somalia South Sudan Difference Ahead
2010s 4.51 million people 3.30 million people 1.21 million people Somalia
2020s 3.62 million people 2.59 million people 1.03 million people Somalia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher people not using improved drinking water sources, Somalia or South Sudan?
Somalia, at 3.25 million people against 2.67 million people in South Sudan as of 2024.
What is the difference in people not using improved drinking water sources between Somalia and South Sudan?
578,050 people, with Somalia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Somalia and South Sudan?
14 years are reported by both, from 2011 to 2024.
How do Somalia and South Sudan rank globally for people not using improved drinking water sources?
Somalia ranks 27th and South Sudan ranks 30th 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 not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
People not 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 not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.