Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Congo
Congo: Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source was 73.5% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source 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 %.
Analysis
In 2021, share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Congo stood at 73.5%. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Congo peaked at 73.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 58.4%, in 2000.
That places Congo 202nd out of 231 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 58.4% | — |
| 2001 | 58.7% | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 59.2% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 59.7% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 60.6% | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 61.6% | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 62.5% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 63.4% | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 64.4% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 65.3% | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 66.3% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 67.2% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 68.1% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 69.0% | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 70.0% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 70.9% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 71.8% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 72.7% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 72.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 73.1% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 73.3% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 73.5% | +0.3% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 73.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 85.4%, 86% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 73.5% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 72.2%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 61.4% | 58.4% | 65.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 70.2% | 66.3% | 73.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 73.4% | 73.3% | 73.5% | 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 share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Congo?
- Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Congo was 73.5% 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 share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 73.5% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 58.4% in 2000.
- How does Congo rank for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source?
- Congo ranks 202nd out of 231 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.