South Africa vs Sri Lanka: Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source
South Africa
90.2%
in 2024
Sri Lanka
90.2%
in 2024
South Africa rank
170th
Sri Lanka rank
169th
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source over time
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
How they compare
Sri Lanka currently reports 90.2% against 90.2% in South Africa, a difference of 0.0%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 25 shared years of data; in 2000 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 170th and Sri Lanka ranks 169th of 231 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Sri Lanka | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 88.2% | 84.9% | 3.3% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 91.7% | 87.7% | 4.0% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 90.7% | 89.8% | 0.8% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of population using at least a basic drinking water source, South Africa or Sri Lanka?
- Sri Lanka, at 90.2% against 90.2% in South Africa as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of population using at least a basic drinking water source between South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 0.0%, with Sri Lanka ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Sri Lanka?
- 25 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Sri Lanka rank globally for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source?
- South Africa ranks 170th and Sri Lanka ranks 169th 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 Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.