South Sudan vs Sudan: People not using improved drinking water sources
South Sudan
2.67 million people
in 2024
Sudan
3.20 million people
in 2024
South Sudan rank
30th
Sudan rank
28th
People not using improved drinking water sources over time
- South Sudan
- Sudan
How they compare
Sudan currently reports 3.20 million people against 2.67 million people in South Sudan, a difference of 532,520 people.
That makes Sudan's figure about 1.2 times South Sudan's.
Across all 14 years both countries report, Sudan has been ahead every year.
South Sudan ranks 30th and Sudan ranks 28th of 231 countries.
Sudan has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Sudan | Sudan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.30 million people | 7.48 million people | 4.18 million people | Sudan |
| 2020s | 2.59 million people | 4.40 million people | 1.81 million people | Sudan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher people not using improved drinking water sources, South Sudan or Sudan?
- Sudan, at 3.20 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 South Sudan and Sudan?
- 532,520 people, with Sudan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Sudan and Sudan?
- 14 years are reported by both, from 2011 to 2024.
- How do South Sudan and Sudan rank globally for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- South Sudan ranks 30th and Sudan ranks 28th 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
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.