People using at least a basic drinking water source in Bhutan
Bhutan: People using at least a basic drinking water source was 787,935 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least a basic drinking water source 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
In 2024, people using at least a basic drinking water source in Bhutan stood at 787,935 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 12.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least a basic drinking water source in Bhutan peaked at 787,935 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 499,873 people, in 2000.
That places Bhutan 162nd out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least a basic drinking water source in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 499,873 people | — |
| 2001 | 517,059 people | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 534,589 people | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 551,979 people | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 569,200 people | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 585,144 people | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 598,764 people | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 611,478 people | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 624,127 people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 636,755 people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 649,433 people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 662,242 people | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 675,228 people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 688,331 people | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 701,338 people | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 713,997 people | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 726,448 people | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 738,150 people | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 747,805 people | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 756,896 people | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 762,903 people | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 769,187 people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 775,532 people | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 781,902 people | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 787,935 people | +0.8% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 787,935 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 10.66 million people, 7% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 787,935 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 24.30 million people, 3% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 572,897 people | 499,873 people | 636,755 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 705,987 people | 649,433 people | 756,896 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 775,492 people | 762,903 people | 787,935 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
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 using at least a basic drinking water source in Bhutan?
- People using at least a basic drinking water source in Bhutan was 787,935 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 using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 787,935 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 499,873 people in 2000.
- How does Bhutan rank for people using at least a basic drinking water source?
- Bhutan ranks 162nd out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 using at least a basic drinking water source. 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 using an improved drinking water source, which is either available on premises, or collection time is no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.