Population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi
Malawi: Population using at least basic drinking-water services was 70.1% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi is 70.1%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 14.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi peaked at 70.1% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 48.7%, in 2000.
Malawi ranks 138th of 177 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 48.7% | — |
| 2001 | 49.6% | +1.9% |
| 2002 | 50.5% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 51.4% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 52.3% | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 53.2% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 54.1% | +1.7% |
| 2007 | 55.0% | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 55.9% | +1.6% |
| 2009 | 56.8% | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 57.7% | +1.6% |
| 2011 | 58.6% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 59.5% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 60.3% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 61.2% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 62.1% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 63.0% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 63.9% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 64.7% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 65.6% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 66.5% | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 67.4% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 68.2% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 69.2% | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 70.1% | +1.3% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 70.1% is above the median for low income countries, which is 56.6%, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 70.1% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.5%, 1.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 52.8% | 48.7% | 56.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.7% | 57.7% | 65.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.3% | 66.5% | 70.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % 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 5.3 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi?
- Population using at least basic drinking-water services in Malawi was 70.1% in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest population using at least basic drinking-water services recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 70.1% in 2024.
- What is the lowest population using at least basic drinking-water services recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.7% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for population using at least basic drinking-water services?
- Malawi ranks 138th out of 177 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population using at least basic drinking-water services rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Population using at least basic drinking-water services (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO).