Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ghana
Ghana: Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source was 89.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ghana, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Ghana recorded 89.9% for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ghana peaked at 89.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 65.5%, in 2000.
Ghana ranks 172nd of 231 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 65.5% | — |
| 2001 | 66.3% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 67.3% | +1.5% |
| 2003 | 68.3% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 69.3% | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 70.3% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 71.4% | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 72.4% | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 73.4% | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 74.4% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 75.5% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 76.5% | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 77.5% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 78.6% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 79.6% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 80.6% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 81.7% | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 82.7% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 83.7% | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 84.8% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 85.8% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 86.8% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 87.9% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 88.9% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 89.9% | +1.2% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 89.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 85.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 89.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 72.2%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 69.9% | 65.5% | 74.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 80.1% | 75.5% | 84.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 87.9% | 85.8% | 89.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 169 Sri Lanka 90.2% compare
- 170 South Africa 90.2% compare
- 171 Poland 90.1% compare
- 173 Micronesia (country) 89.9% compare
- 174 Tajikistan 89.2% compare
- 175 Indonesia 89.0% compare
More environment data for Ghana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -13.57 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -11.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.26 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.34 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.72 % 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 0.8796 % 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 Ghana?
- Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Ghana was 89.9% 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 89.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 65.5% in 2000.
- How does Ghana rank for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source?
- Ghana ranks 172nd out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana 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
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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.