People using improved drinking water sources in Congo
Congo: People using improved drinking water sources was 592,532 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
People using improved drinking water sources in Congo, 2000–2021
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2021, people using improved drinking water sources in Congo stood at 592,532 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 15.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using improved drinking water sources in Congo peaked at 762,934 people in 2003 and was at its lowest, 561,308 people, in 2017.
That places Congo 58th out of 231 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
People using improved drinking water sources in Congo, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 722,275 people | — |
| 2001 | 743,449 people | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 751,571 people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 762,934 people | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 756,721 people | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 751,069 people | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 745,563 people | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 738,456 people | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 727,595 people | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 720,795 people | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 713,832 people | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 699,340 people | -2.0% |
| 2012 | 680,628 people | -2.7% |
| 2013 | 658,511 people | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 635,460 people | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 611,567 people | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 586,848 people | -4.0% |
| 2017 | 561,308 people | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 569,210 people | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 576,973 people | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 584,722 people | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 592,532 people | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 742,043 people | 720,795 people | 762,934 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 629,368 people | 561,308 people | 713,832 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 588,627 people | 584,722 people | 592,532 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More environment data for Congo
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -9.96 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.202 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.13 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate -50.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0015 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate -48.99 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using improved drinking water sources in Congo?
- People using improved drinking water sources in Congo was 592,532 people in 2021, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people using improved drinking water sources recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 762,934 people in 2003.
- What is the lowest people using improved drinking water sources recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 561,308 people in 2017.
- How does Congo rank for people using improved drinking water sources?
- Congo ranks 58th out of 231 countries with data for 2021.
- Is people using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo 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 People using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using only unimproved drinking water sources.