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
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia, 2000–2024
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.
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.8% | — |
| 2001 | 20.3% | +8.1% |
| 2002 | 21.8% | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 23.3% | +7.0% |
| 2004 | 24.8% | +6.5% |
| 2005 | 26.4% | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 27.9% | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 29.4% | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 31.0% | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 32.6% | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 34.2% | +4.9% |
| 2011 | 35.8% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 37.4% | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 38.9% | +4.2% |
| 2014 | 40.5% | +4.0% |
| 2015 | 42.0% | +3.8% |
| 2016 | 43.6% | +3.7% |
| 2017 | 45.1% | +3.5% |
| 2018 | 46.6% | +3.4% |
| 2019 | 48.1% | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 49.7% | +3.1% |
| 2021 | 51.2% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 52.6% | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 54.1% | +2.8% |
| 2024 | 55.6% | +2.7% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 55.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.9%, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 55.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 72.2%, 77% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
- 219 Uganda 63.0% compare
- 220 Guinea-Bissau 61.8% compare
- 221 Rwanda 61.4% compare
- 223 Madagascar 55.3% compare
- 224 Niger 53.4% compare
- 225 Papua New Guinea 53.3% compare
More environment data for Ethiopia
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.272 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.39 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 2.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1478 % change on previous year (2024)
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
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.