Drinking water services in rural areas in Iran

Iran: Drinking water services in rural areas was 55,235 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
55,235 people
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
70th
of 178 countries
All-time high
227,342 people
in 2000
All-time low
55,235 people
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Drinking water services in rural areas in Iran, 2000–2024

50.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k2000201220242000: 227.3k people2001: 226.3k people2002: 223.6k people2003: 221.4k people2004: 221.6k people2005: 204.2k people2006: 186.6k people2007: 168.3k people2008: 149.7k people2009: 131.3k people2010: 113.2k people2011: 95.2k people2012: 77.6k people2013: 60.3k people2014: 59.9k people2015: 59.5k people2016: 59.2k people2017: 58.9k people2018: 58.5k people2019: 57.9k people2020: 57.2k people2021: 56.6k people2022: 56.2k people2023: 55.7k people2024: 55.2k people

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

In 2024, drinking water services in rural areas in Iran stood at 55,235 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, drinking water services in rural areas in Iran peaked at 227,342 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 55,235 people, in 2024.

That places Iran 70th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Drinking water services in rural areas in Iran, year by year

Annual values for Drinking water services in rural areas in Iran, 2000 to 2024.
Year people Change
2000 227,342 people
2001 226,281 people -0.5%
2002 223,561 people -1.2%
2003 221,444 people -0.9%
2004 221,571 people +0.1%
2005 204,175 people -7.9%
2006 186,593 people -8.6%
2007 168,350 people -9.8%
2008 149,693 people -11.1%
2009 131,310 people -12.3%
2010 113,167 people -13.8%
2011 95,243 people -15.8%
2012 77,610 people -18.5%
2013 60,259 people -22.4%
2014 59,894 people -0.6%
2015 59,536 people -0.6%
2016 59,212 people -0.5%
2017 58,888 people -0.5%
2018 58,470 people -0.7%
2019 57,943 people -0.9%
2020 57,244 people -1.2%
2021 56,595 people -1.1%
2022 56,160 people -0.8%
2023 55,737 people -0.8%
2024 55,235 people -0.9%

Iran compared with similar countries

  • Iran's 55,235 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 845.16 people, 65.4× the median. (55 countries reporting)
  • Iran's 55,235 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3,275 people, 16.9× the median. (18 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 196,032 people 131,310 people 227,342 people 10
2010s 70,022 people 57,943 people 113,167 people 10
2020s 56,194 people 55,235 people 57,244 people 5

Countries ranked near Iran

  1. 67 East Timor 68,246 people compare
  2. 68 Dominican Republic 66,635 people compare
  3. 69 El Salvador 58,759 people compare
  4. 71 Panama 46,333 people compare
  5. 72 Gabon 42,046 people compare
  6. 73 Ukraine 33,192 people compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More environment data for Iran

All data for Iran →

Frequently asked questions

What is drinking water services in rural areas in Iran?
Drinking water services in rural areas in Iran was 55,235 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest drinking water services in rural areas recorded in Iran?
The highest recorded value was 227,342 people in 2000.
What is the lowest drinking water services in rural areas recorded in Iran?
The lowest recorded value was 55,235 people in 2024.
How does Iran rank for drinking water services in rural areas?
Iran ranks 70th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
Is drinking water services in rural areas rising or falling in Iran?
Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Iran data come from?
The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water services in rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Drinking water services in rural areas in Iran. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/drinking-water-services-coverage-rural/iran-islamic-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Drinking water services in rural areas
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
178 places, 4,232 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Number of people using drinking water directly collected from surface waters.