People not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan
Bhutan: People not using improved drinking water sources was 548.99 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan, 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
Bhutan recorded 548.99 people for people not using improved drinking water sources in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 24.8% on the previous year and down 97.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan peaked at 84,679 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 548.99 people, in 2024.
Bhutan ranks 159th of 231 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 84,679 people | — |
| 2001 | 80,965 people | -4.4% |
| 2002 | 77,051 people | -4.8% |
| 2003 | 72,954 people | -5.3% |
| 2004 | 68,691 people | -5.8% |
| 2005 | 64,207 people | -6.5% |
| 2006 | 59,753 people | -6.9% |
| 2007 | 55,158 people | -7.7% |
| 2008 | 50,523 people | -8.4% |
| 2009 | 45,861 people | -9.2% |
| 2010 | 41,182 people | -10.2% |
| 2011 | 36,497 people | -11.4% |
| 2012 | 31,816 people | -12.8% |
| 2013 | 27,137 people | -14.7% |
| 2014 | 22,453 people | -17.3% |
| 2015 | 17,764 people | -20.9% |
| 2016 | 13,079 people | -26.4% |
| 2017 | 8,400 people | -35.8% |
| 2018 | 4,769 people | -43.2% |
| 2019 | 1,370 people | -71.3% |
| 2020 | 1,223 people | -10.8% |
| 2021 | 1,067 people | -12.7% |
| 2022 | 903.04 people | -15.4% |
| 2023 | 730.4 people | -19.1% |
| 2024 | 548.99 people | -24.8% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 548.99 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 912,712 people, 0% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 548.99 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 849,050 people, 0% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | -71.3% | 4,769 people | 1,370 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 65,984 people | 45,861 people | 84,679 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 20,447 people | 1,370 people | 41,182 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 894.48 people | 548.99 people | 1,223 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 156 Mauritius 933.75 people compare
- 157 Guam 789.72 people compare
- 158 Saint Kitts and Nevis 653.12 people compare
- 160 United States Virgin Islands 453.66 people compare
- 161 Marshall Islands 451.22 people compare
- 162 Anguilla 363.18 people compare
More environment data for Bhutan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.2782 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.5977 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.257 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.08 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.487 % 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 -5.53 % 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 people not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan was 548.99 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 people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 84,679 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 548.99 people in 2024.
- How does Bhutan rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Bhutan ranks 159th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 97.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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 not using improved drinking water sources. 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 not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.