People using improved drinking water sources by country

Number of people using only unimproved drinking water sources.

Countries reporting
221
Highest
51.73 million people
China
Lowest
0 people
Tokelau
Median
20,571 people
Years covered
25
2000–2024
Data points
5,586

What the numbers show

People using improved drinking water sources is currently reported for 221 countries. The highest value is 51.73 million people in China; the lowest is 0 people in Tokelau.

The median across all reporting countries is 20,571 people, and the mean is 1.39 million people.

Over the past decade 50 countries rose and 159 fell. The largest increase was in Turkmenistan (up 14,260,500.0%), and the largest decrease in Paraguay (down 100.0%).

People using improved drinking water sources: full country ranking

#Country LatestYear 10-year changeTrend
1 China 51.73 million people 2024 down 49.9% falling
2 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 35.46 million people 2024 up 27.1% rising
3 Nigeria 23.34 million people 2024 down 19.6% falling
4 India 22.33 million people 2024 down 74.3% falling
5 Ethiopia 16.98 million people 2024 down 33.3% falling
6 Indonesia 11.00 million people 2024 down 55.1% falling
7 Madagascar 9.70 million people 2024 up 37.9% rising
8 Pakistan 9.48 million people 2024 up 6.6% rising
9 Tanzania, United Republic of 7.95 million people 2024 down 39.0% falling
10 Niger 7.57 million people 2024 up 1.5% rising
11 Mozambique 5.72 million people 2024 down 29.6% falling
12 Chad 5.71 million people 2024 up 19.3% rising
13 Uganda 5.00 million people 2024 down 13.4% falling
14 Angola 4.87 million people 2024 up 36.5% rising
15 Burkina Faso 4.28 million people 2024 up 6.6% rising
16 Côte d'Ivoire 4.10 million people 2024 up 18.3% rising
17 Poland 3.81 million people 2024 up 121.9% volatile
18 Kenya 3.77 million people 2024 down 25.5% falling
19 Afghanistan 3.77 million people 2024 down 51.0% falling
20 Russian Federation 3.61 million people 2024 down 9.2% rising
21 Papua New Guinea 3.23 million people 2024 up 62.3% rising
22 Zambia 2.98 million people 2024 down 10.5% flat
23 Benin 2.95 million people 2024 up 32.0% rising
24 Yemen 2.89 million people 2024 down 47.3% falling
25 Cameroon 2.72 million people 2024 down 23.6% falling
26 Somalia 2.60 million people 2024 down 21.2% falling
27 Myanmar 2.43 million people 2024 down 46.1% falling
28 Egypt 2.25 million people 2024 up 71.9% rising
29 Mali 2.11 million people 2024 down 45.0% falling
30 Burundi 1.92 million people 2024 up 32.8% rising
31 Zimbabwe 1.88 million people 2024 down 7.7% falling
32 Central African Republic 1.78 million people 2024 up 21.4% rising
33 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 1.76 million people 2024 up 71.3% volatile
34 Senegal 1.69 million people 2024 down 36.4% falling
35 Haiti 1.69 million people 2024 down 10.6% falling
36 Philippines 1.53 million people 2024 down 65.5% falling
37 Sri Lanka 1.52 million people 2024 down 16.5% falling
38 Morocco 1.49 million people 2024 down 70.2% falling
39 Colombia 1.44 million people 2024 up 208.6% volatile
40 North Korea 1.43 million people 2023 up 81.1% volatile
41 Sierra Leone 1.36 million people 2024 up 22.3% rising
42 South Sudan 1.27 million people 2024 down 17.5% falling
43 Viet Nam 1.25 million people 2024 down 75.8% falling
44 Rwanda 1.25 million people 2024 down 14.5% falling
45 Guinea 1.14 million people 2024 down 20.2% falling
46 Togo 1.12 million people 2024 down 17.5% falling
47 Japan 1.01 million people 2024 down 29.9% falling
48 Peru 972,297 people 2024 down 46.8% falling
49 Malawi 904,718 people 2024 down 56.1% falling
50 Sudan 890,650 people 2024 down 82.5% falling
51 South Africa 721,120 people 2024 down 42.3% falling
52 Nepal 709,243 people 2024 down 66.3% falling
53 Guatemala 692,528 people 2024 down 23.2% falling
54 Canada 679,492 people 2024 up 73.6% volatile
55 Türkiye 676,603 people 2024 down 49.2% falling
56 Malaysia 605,506 people 2024 down 13.4% rising
57 Mexico 600,171 people 2024 down 77.0% falling
58 Congo 592,532 people 2021 down 15.3% falling
59 Mauritania 531,017 people 2024 down 27.7% falling
60 Algeria 497,671 people 2024 down 18.8% falling
61 Guinea-Bissau 493,534 people 2024 down 0.2% flat
62 Ghana 475,575 people 2024 down 58.4% falling
63 Eritrea 420,276 people 2016 down 23.3% falling
64 Equatorial Guinea 406,812 people 2017 up 66.5% rising
65 Ecuador 388,638 people 2024 down 38.6% falling
66 Cambodia 367,392 people 2024 down 77.2% falling
67 Honduras 343,792 people 2024 down 41.9% falling
68 Lao People's Democratic Republic 321,392 people 2024 down 64.5% falling
69 Liberia 230,088 people 2024 down 44.2% falling
70 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 223,914 people 2024 down 40.4% falling
71 Argentina 213,737 people 2016 down 65.8% falling
72 Cuba 212,184 people 2024 down 36.8% falling
73 Lesotho 209,331 people 2024 down 29.8% falling
74 Tajikistan 198,517 people 2024 down 32.8% falling
75 Gambia 191,810 people 2024 down 18.0% falling
76 Iran 174,846 people 2024 down 83.5% falling
77 Republic of Moldova 174,097 people 2024 down 48.3% falling
78 Dominican Republic 163,114 people 2024 down 17.9% falling
79 Tunisia 159,233 people 2024 down 57.3% falling
80 Ireland 152,499 people 2024 up 6.3% rising
81 Solomon Islands 150,843 people 2024 up 57.2% rising
82 Mongolia 133,994 people 2024 down 32.2% falling
83 Azerbaijan 122,236 people 2024 down 72.1% falling
84 Namibia 110,293 people 2024 down 15.6% falling
85 Kyrgyzstan 94,320 people 2024 down 32.4% falling
86 Gabon 93,959 people 2024 up 17.3% rising
87 Botswana 89,250 people 2024 up 66.8% rising
88 Saudi Arabia 85,421 people 2024 up 18.2% rising
89 Albania 84,257 people 2024 down 2.6% rising
90 Panama 83,815 people 2024 down 36.9% falling
91 Ukraine 77,406 people 2024 down 79.6% volatile
92 Portugal 74,268 people 2024 down 13.5% falling
93 United States 67,550 people 2024 down 96.8% volatile
94 Georgia 64,258 people 2024 down 43.4% falling
95 Jordan 61,732 people 2024 down 10.2% falling
96 Eswatini 58,199 people 2024 down 45.9% falling
97 Bulgaria 55,058 people 2024 up 22.0% rising
98 Djibouti 52,034 people 2024 down 22.8% falling
99 Chile 50,899 people 2024 down 52.3% falling
100 Italy 49,234 people 2024 down 2.2% volatile
101 Serbia 48,468 people 2024 up 5.6% rising
102 Timor-Leste 45,767 people 2024 down 79.9% falling
103 Uzbekistan 43,720 people 2024 down 74.2% volatile
104 Bangladesh 41,463 people 2024 down 95.8% volatile
105 Jamaica 39,118 people 2024 down 27.3% falling
106 Spain 36,077 people 2024 up 5.7% volatile
107 Comoros 30,424 people 2024 down 16.5% falling
108 Sweden 25,372 people 2024 down 23.3% falling
109 Kiribati 22,104 people 2024 down 28.6% falling
110 Syria 21,578 people 2024 down 87.5% volatile
111 Kazakhstan 20,571 people 2024 down 95.8% volatile
112 Fiji 17,865 people 2024 down 1.5% rising
113 Vanuatu 16,962 people 2024 up 9.6% rising
114 Belize 16,495 people 2024 down 16.9% rising
115 French Guiana 15,919 people 2024 down 2.6% rising
116 Mayotte 11,468 people 2023 up 10,290.0% volatile
117 Micronesia (country) 11,222 people 2020 up 334.5% volatile
118 Oman 11,025 people 2024 down 84.5% volatile
119 Cape Verde 10,287 people 2024 down 57.2% falling
120 Latvia 10,110 people 2024 down 44.1% falling
121 Belarus 9,867 people 2024 down 63.7% falling
122 Guyana 9,087 people 2024 down 47.2% falling
123 Slovenia 9,013 people 2024 up 15.1% rising
124 Australia 8,111 people 2024 down 10.8% volatile
125 Trinidad and Tobago 6,681 people 2024 down 10.2% falling
126 Turkmenistan 5,849 people 2024 up 14,260,500.0% volatile
127 Libya 5,011 people 2024 down 97.3% volatile
128 Bahamas 4,163 people 2019 down 18.3% falling
129 Croatia 3,752 people 2024 down 10.6% volatile
130 Aruba 3,422 people 2016 down 10.6% falling
131 Cayman Islands 3,373 people 2024 up 33.8% rising
132 Cyprus 3,272 people 2024 up 62.5% rising
133 North Macedonia 3,232 people 2024 down 63.1% falling
134 Czechia 3,047 people 2024 down 3.1% volatile
135 Seychelles 2,964 people 2024 up 1,111.0% volatile
136 Suriname 2,399 people 2024 down 63.5% volatile
137 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2,384 people 2018 down 21.8% falling
138 Lithuania 2,339 people 2024 down 97.9% volatile
139 Jersey 2,025 people 2024 down 9.0% falling
140 Barbados 1,604 people 2024 down 42.2% falling
141 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,530 people 2024 down 68.9% volatile
142 Martinique 1,359 people 2024 up 21.7% rising
143 Sao Tome and Principe 1,355 people 2024 down 80.0% falling
144 New Caledonia 1,350 people 2024 down 77.1% volatile
145 Bahrain 1,287 people 2024 up 43.2% rising
146 Armenia 1,029 people 2024 down 93.0% volatile
147 Maldives 1,029 people 2024 down 83.5% volatile
148 Reunion 1,017 people 2024 down 31.9% falling
149 Montenegro 1,011 people 2024 down 75.2% volatile
150 Mauritius 933.73 people 2024 down 71.7% falling
151 Antigua and Barbuda 806.66 people 2024 down 31.7% falling
152 Samoa 795.51 people 2024 down 84.6% falling
153 Guam 789.72 people 2024 down 2.8% falling
154 Saint Kitts and Nevis 653.12 people 2017 down 4.4% falling
155 Dominica 568.57 people 2024 down 80.2% falling
156 Bhutan 549.02 people 2024 down 92.1% volatile
157 United States Virgin Islands 453.66 people 2024 down 49.8% falling
158 Marshall Islands 451.22 people 2024 down 2.5% rising
159 Anguilla 363.18 people 2017 down 8.3% falling
160 Qatar 336.18 people 2024 down 74.8% falling
161 Guadeloupe 277.27 people 2024 down 85.0% volatile
162 Sint Maarten (Dutch part) 268.61 people 2017 down 19.9% falling
163 Naoero 191.75 people 2024 up 9.0% rising
164 Tonga 164.75 people 2024 down 73.1% falling
165 Falkland Islands 164.47 people 2020 down 6.7% falling
166 Saint Lucia 116.49 people 2024 down 97.9% volatile
167 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 102.91 people 2024 down 76.2% volatile
168 Turks and Caicos Islands 93.9 people 2024 down 5.9% falling
169 Montserrat 85.17 people 2024 down 6.4% flat
170 Palau 82.77 people 2024 down 11.5% falling
171 Tuvalu 82.16 people 2024 up 1.8% rising
172 Wallis and Futuna 80.75 people 2024 up 11.5% rising
173 Cook Islands 56.64 people 2024 up 225.3% volatile
174 British Virgin Islands 53.53 people 2024 up 19.7% volatile
175 Saint Helena 37.13 people 2024 up 2.5% rising
176 Niue 34.32 people 2024 up 53.4% rising
177 Saint Martin (French part) 20.14 people 2024 up 113.2% volatile
178 Brazil 2.69 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
179 France 1.68 people 2024 down 6.1% volatile
180 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 0.5938 people 2024 volatile
181 Switzerland 0.2871 people 2024 up 110.0% volatile
182 Austria 0.2559 people 2024 volatile
183 Finland 0.1855 people 2024 up 14.5% volatile
184 Paraguay 0.168 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
185 El Salvador 0.1289 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
186 Romania 0.1094 people 2024 volatile
187 Costa Rica 0.0879 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
188 Israel 0.0649 people 2024 up 44.6% volatile
189 Estonia 0.0405 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
190 Denmark 0.0127 people 2024 volatile
191 Uruguay 0.0026 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
192 San Marino 0.0013 people 2024 up 37.8% volatile
193 Andorra 0 people 2024 volatile
193 United Arab Emirates 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 American Samoa 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Belgium 0 people 2024 volatile
193 Brunei Darussalam 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Curacao 0 people 2024 volatile
193 Germany 0 people 2024 volatile
193 Greece 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Grenada 0 people 2017 down 100.0% volatile
193 Hong Kong 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Hungary 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Isle of Man 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Iraq 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Iceland 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Republic of Korea 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Lebanon 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Luxembourg 0 people 2024 volatile
193 Malta 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Northern Mariana Islands 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Netherlands 0 people 2024 volatile
193 Norway 0 people 2024 volatile
193 New Zealand 0 people 2024 volatile
193 Puerto Rico 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Palestine, State of 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Slovakia 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Thailand 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Bonaire Sint Eustatius and Saba 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Saint Barthelemy 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile
193 Tokelau 0 people 2024 down 100.0% volatile

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People using improved drinking water sources by country. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-people-in-the-world-with-and-without-access-to-improved-water-sources/

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About this data

Indicator
People using improved drinking water sources
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
231 places, 5,586 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

Number of people using only unimproved drinking water sources.