People not using improved drinking water sources in Congo
Congo: People not using improved drinking water sources was 952,417 people in 2021. ▼ Falling
People not 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
The most recent figure for people not using improved drinking water sources in Congo is 952,417 people, measured in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Congo peaked at 1.04 million people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 906,907 people, in 2017.
Congo ranks 57th of 231 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Congo, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 984,418 people | — |
| 2001 | 1.01 million people | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 1.02 million people | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 1.04 million people | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 1.04 million people | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 1.04 million people | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.04 million people | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 1.04 million people | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 1.03 million people | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 1.04 million people | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 1.04 million people | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 1.03 million people | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 1.01 million people | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 993,627 people | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 973,242 people | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 951,975 people | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 929,860 people | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 906,907 people | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 918,524 people | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 929,858 people | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 941,115 people | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 952,417 people | +1.2% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 952,417 people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 912,712 people, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 952,417 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.99 million people, 48% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.03 million people | 984,418 people | 1.04 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 968,141 people | 906,907 people | 1.04 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 946,766 people | 941,115 people | 952,417 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)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8453 % 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 -0.4756 % 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 Congo?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Congo was 952,417 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 not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 1.04 million people in 2006.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 906,907 people in 2017.
- How does Congo rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Congo ranks 57th out of 231 countries with data for 2021.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. 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 not 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 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.