Drinking water usage in urban areas in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 381,373 people in 2024. ▬ Flat
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Ethiopia, 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 usage in urban areas in Ethiopia is 381,373 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 4.8% on the previous year and down 19.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water usage in urban areas in Ethiopia peaked at 471,722 people in 2014 and was at its lowest, 381,373 people, in 2024.
That places Ethiopia 8th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 415,815 people | — |
| 2001 | 421,249 people | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 426,450 people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 431,151 people | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 435,319 people | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 438,897 people | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 441,861 people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 444,669 people | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 451,474 people | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 457,351 people | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 462,516 people | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 466,883 people | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 470,179 people | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 471,593 people | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 471,722 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 470,603 people | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 468,237 people | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 464,417 people | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 458,862 people | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 451,527 people | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 442,343 people | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 430,905 people | -2.6% |
| 2022 | 416,978 people | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 400,537 people | -3.9% |
| 2024 | 381,373 people | -4.8% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 381,373 people is above the median for low income countries, which is 16,882 people, 22.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 381,373 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10,146 people, 37.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 436,424 people | 415,815 people | 457,351 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 465,654 people | 451,527 people | 471,722 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 414,427 people | 381,373 people | 442,343 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More environment data for Ethiopia
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.272 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.39 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1478 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water usage in urban areas in Ethiopia?
- Drinking water usage in urban areas in Ethiopia was 381,373 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 usage in urban areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 471,722 people in 2014.
- What is the lowest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 381,373 people in 2024.
- How does Ethiopia rank for drinking water usage in urban areas?
- Ethiopia ranks 8th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water usage in urban areas rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 usage in urban 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.