People not using improved drinking water sources in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: People not using improved drinking water sources was 55,058 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using improved drinking water sources in Bulgaria, 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, people not using improved drinking water sources in Bulgaria stood at 55,058 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Bulgaria peaked at 55,058 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20,983 people, in 2000.
Bulgaria ranks 104th of 231 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20,983 people | — |
| 2001 | 23,156 people | +10.4% |
| 2002 | 25,246 people | +9.0% |
| 2003 | 27,283 people | +8.1% |
| 2004 | 29,249 people | +7.2% |
| 2005 | 31,143 people | +6.5% |
| 2006 | 32,961 people | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 34,713 people | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 36,404 people | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 38,047 people | +4.5% |
| 2010 | 39,609 people | +4.1% |
| 2011 | 41,067 people | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 42,423 people | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 43,771 people | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 45,124 people | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 46,386 people | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 47,560 people | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 48,658 people | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 49,704 people | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 50,700 people | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 51,693 people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 52,520 people | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 53,328 people | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 54,248 people | +1.7% |
| 2024 | 55,058 people | +1.5% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 55,058 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0026 people, 21490107.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 55,058 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2,187 people, 25.2× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 29,919 people | 20,983 people | 38,047 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 45,500 people | 39,609 people | 50,700 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 53,369 people | 51,693 people | 55,058 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More environment data for Bulgaria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.573 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -6.02 % 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 -0.7509 % 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 Bulgaria?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Bulgaria was 55,058 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 55,058 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,983 people in 2000.
- How does Bulgaria rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Bulgaria ranks 104th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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.