People not using improved drinking water sources in Pakistan
Pakistan: People not using improved drinking water sources was 12.20 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People not using improved drinking water sources in Pakistan, 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 Pakistan stood at 12.20 million people.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people not using improved drinking water sources in Pakistan peaked at 15.55 million people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 11.90 million people, in 2022.
Pakistan ranks 10th of 231 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People not using improved drinking water sources in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15.50 million people | — |
| 2001 | 15.55 million people | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 15.54 million people | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 15.51 million people | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 15.48 million people | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 15.44 million people | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 15.38 million people | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 15.36 million people | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 15.33 million people | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 15.26 million people | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 15.18 million people | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 15.05 million people | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 14.85 million people | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 14.61 million people | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 14.34 million people | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 14.04 million people | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 13.73 million people | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 13.41 million people | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 13.12 million people | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 12.82 million people | -2.3% |
| 2020 | 12.53 million people | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 12.23 million people | -2.4% |
| 2022 | 11.90 million people | -2.7% |
| 2023 | 12.05 million people | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 12.20 million people | +1.3% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 12.20 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 912,712 people, 13.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 12.20 million people is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 55,032 people, 221.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.44 million people | 15.26 million people | 15.55 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.12 million people | 12.82 million people | 15.18 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.18 million people | 11.90 million people | 12.53 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More environment data for Pakistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -10.53 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.373 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.7034 % 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 3.1 % 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 Pakistan?
- People not using improved drinking water sources in Pakistan was 12.20 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 15.55 million people in 2001.
- What is the lowest people not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.90 million people in 2022.
- How does Pakistan rank for people not using improved drinking water sources?
- Pakistan ranks 10th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.