China vs United States: People with access to at least basic drinking water
China
1.39 billion
in 2024
United States
345.36 million
in 2024
China rank
2nd
United States rank
3rd
People with access to at least basic drinking water over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
China currently reports 1.39 billion against 345.36 million in United States, a difference of 1.04 billion.
That makes China's figure about 4.0 times United States's.
Across all 20 years both countries report, China has been ahead every year.
China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 3rd of 231 countries.
China has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.16 billion | 298.57 million | 863.52 million | China |
| 2010s | 1.29 billion | 322.61 million | 966.09 million | China |
| 2020s | 1.38 billion | 341.76 million | 1.04 billion | China |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher people with access to at least basic drinking water, China or United States?
- China, at 1.39 billion against 345.36 million in United States as of 2024.
- What is the difference in people with access to at least basic drinking water between China and United States?
- 1.04 billion, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 20 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2024.
- How do China and United States rank globally for people with access to at least basic drinking water?
- China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 3rd of 231 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as People with access to at least basic drinking water. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.