Drinking water usage in urban areas in Tanzania
Tanzania: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 522,756 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania stood at 522,756 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.3% on the previous year and up 45.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water usage in urban areas in Tanzania peaked at 522,756 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 210,468 people, in 2000.
Tanzania ranks 5th of 188 countries on this measure, 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 210,468 people | — |
| 2001 | 217,260 people | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 223,980 people | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 232,890 people | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 242,596 people | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 252,768 people | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 263,343 people | +4.2% |
| 2007 | 274,230 people | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 285,225 people | +4.0% |
| 2009 | 295,825 people | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 306,958 people | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 319,188 people | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 332,051 people | +4.0% |
| 2013 | 345,737 people | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 360,022 people | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 375,370 people | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 391,706 people | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 408,253 people | +4.2% |
| 2018 | 424,461 people | +4.0% |
| 2019 | 440,260 people | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 456,445 people | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 472,958 people | +3.6% |
| 2022 | 489,522 people | +3.5% |
| 2023 | 506,094 people | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 522,756 people | +3.3% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 522,756 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 6,494 people, 80.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 522,756 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 10,146 people, 51.5× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 249,858 people | 210,468 people | 295,825 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 370,401 people | 306,958 people | 440,260 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 489,555 people | 456,445 people | 522,756 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More environment data for Tanzania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % 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 5.16 % 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 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water usage in urban areas in Tanzania?
- Drinking water usage in urban areas in Tanzania was 522,756 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 522,756 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 210,468 people in 2000.
- How does Tanzania rank for drinking water usage in urban areas?
- Tanzania ranks 5th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water usage in urban areas rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 45.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.