Drinking water services in rural areas in Iraq
Iraq: Drinking water services in rural areas was 333,006 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Drinking water services in rural areas in Iraq, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for drinking water services in rural areas in Iraq is 333,006 people, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 1.2% on the previous year and down 72.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water services in rural areas in Iraq peaked at 2.37 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 315,004 people, in 2020.
Iraq ranks 48th of 178 countries on this measure, 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 Iraq, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.37 million people | — |
| 2001 | 2.33 million people | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 2.28 million people | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 2.23 million people | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 2.17 million people | -2.7% |
| 2005 | 2.11 million people | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 1.99 million people | -5.4% |
| 2007 | 1.85 million people | -7.2% |
| 2008 | 1.76 million people | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 1.69 million people | -3.9% |
| 2010 | 1.60 million people | -5.1% |
| 2011 | 1.51 million people | -5.7% |
| 2012 | 1.43 million people | -5.5% |
| 2013 | 1.34 million people | -6.3% |
| 2014 | 1.22 million people | -8.6% |
| 2015 | 1.09 million people | -10.8% |
| 2016 | 945,726 people | -13.1% |
| 2017 | 796,259 people | -15.8% |
| 2018 | 642,070 people | -19.4% |
| 2019 | 481,986 people | -24.9% |
| 2020 | 315,004 people | -34.6% |
| 2021 | 319,643 people | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 324,398 people | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 328,947 people | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 333,006 people | +1.2% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 333,006 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 845.16 people, 394.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 333,006 people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3,275 people, 101.7× the median. (18 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.08 million people | 1.69 million people | 2.37 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.10 million people | 481,986 people | 1.60 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 324,200 people | 315,004 people | 333,006 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More environment data for Iraq
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -38.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.549 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.99 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 6.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water services in rural areas in Iraq?
- Drinking water services in rural areas in Iraq was 333,006 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 2.37 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest drinking water services in rural areas recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 315,004 people in 2020.
- How does Iraq rank for drinking water services in rural areas?
- Iraq ranks 48th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water services in rural areas rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 72.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using drinking water directly collected from surface waters.