People not using improved drinking water sources in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: People not using improved drinking water sources was 43.93 million people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People not using improved drinking water sources in Democratic Republic of Congo, 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 Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 43.93 million people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 20.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 43.93 million people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 27.78 million people, in 2000.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 2nd of 231 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 27.78 million people | — |
| 2001 | 28.37 million people | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 28.94 million people | +2.0% |
| 2003 | 29.47 million people | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 30.01 million people | +1.8% |
| 2005 | 30.59 million people | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 31.18 million people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 31.75 million people | +1.8% |
| 2008 | 32.33 million people | +1.8% |
| 2009 | 32.93 million people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 33.56 million people | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 34.23 million people | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 34.92 million people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 35.63 million people | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 36.35 million people | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 37.03 million people | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 37.80 million people | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 38.62 million people | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 39.33 million people | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 39.95 million people | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 40.60 million people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 41.25 million people | +1.6% |
| 2022 | 41.88 million people | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 42.90 million people | +2.4% |
| 2024 | 43.93 million people | +2.4% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 43.93 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 2.67 million people, 16.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 43.93 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.99 million people, 22.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 30.33 million people | 27.78 million people | 32.93 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.74 million people | 33.56 million people | 39.95 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.11 million people | 40.60 million people | 43.93 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More environment data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 5.2 % 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0.338 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people not using improved drinking water sources in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Democratic Republic of Congo was 43.93 million 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 43.93 million people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.78 million people in 2000.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 2nd out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of 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 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.