Drinking water usage in urban areas in Pakistan
Pakistan: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 311,248 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Pakistan, 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
In 2024, drinking water usage in urban areas in Pakistan stood at 311,248 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 12.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water usage in urban areas in Pakistan peaked at 311,248 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 218,112 people, in 2000.
That places Pakistan 10th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 218,112 people | — |
| 2001 | 223,143 people | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 227,479 people | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 231,637 people | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 236,108 people | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 240,470 people | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 244,824 people | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 249,869 people | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 255,062 people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 259,962 people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 264,728 people | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 268,908 people | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 272,208 people | +1.2% |
| 2013 | 274,718 people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 276,852 people | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 278,680 people | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 280,188 people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 281,960 people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 284,399 people | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 287,122 people | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 290,259 people | +1.1% |
| 2021 | 293,733 people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 296,884 people | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 303,988 people | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 311,248 people | +2.4% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 311,248 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6,494 people, 47.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 238,667 people | 218,112 people | 259,962 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 276,976 people | 264,728 people | 287,122 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 299,222 people | 290,259 people | 311,248 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More environment data for Pakistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -10.53 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.373 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.7034 % 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 3.1 % 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 usage in urban areas in Pakistan?
- Drinking water usage in urban areas in Pakistan was 311,248 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 311,248 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 218,112 people in 2000.
- How does Pakistan rank for drinking water usage in urban areas?
- Pakistan ranks 10th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water usage in urban areas rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.