Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source was 55.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
55.6%
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
222nd
of 231 countries
All-time high
55.6%
in 2024
All-time low
18.8%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia, 2000–2024

20304050602000201220242000: 18.8 %2001: 20.3 %2002: 21.8 %2003: 23.3 %2004: 24.8 %2005: 26.4 %2006: 27.9 %2007: 29.4 %2008: 31 %2009: 32.6 %2010: 34.2 %2011: 35.8 %2012: 37.4 %2013: 38.9 %2014: 40.5 %2015: 42 %2016: 43.6 %2017: 45.1 %2018: 46.6 %2019: 48.1 %2020: 49.7 %2021: 51.2 %2022: 52.6 %2023: 54.1 %2024: 55.6 %

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia is 55.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 37.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia peaked at 55.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18.8%, in 2000.

Ethiopia ranks 222nd of 231 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 25.6% 18.8% 32.6% 10
2010s 41.2% 34.2% 48.1% 10
2020s 52.6% 49.7% 55.6% 5

Countries ranked near Ethiopia

  1. 219 Uganda 63.0% compare
  2. 220 Guinea-Bissau 61.8% compare
  3. 221 Rwanda 61.4% compare
  4. 223 Madagascar 55.3% compare
  5. 224 Niger 53.4% compare
  6. 225 Papua New Guinea 53.3% compare

See the full ranking of 231 places →

More environment data for Ethiopia

All data for Ethiopia →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia?
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia was 55.6% 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 share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Ethiopia?
The highest recorded value was 55.6% in 2024.
What is the lowest share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Ethiopia?
The lowest recorded value was 18.8% in 2000.
How does Ethiopia rank for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source?
Ethiopia ranks 222nd out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
Is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in Ethiopia?
Over the last ten years it is up 37.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Ethiopia 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source
Unit
%
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
231 places, 5,586 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.