Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini
Eswatini: Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services was 74.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini, 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 the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini is 74.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.9% on the previous year and up 22.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini peaked at 74.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 42.0%, in 2000.
Eswatini ranks 133rd of 178 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 the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 42.0% | — |
| 2001 | 43.3% | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 44.6% | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 45.9% | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 47.2% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 48.6% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 49.9% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 51.2% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 52.5% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 53.9% | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 55.2% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 56.6% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 57.9% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 59.3% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 60.6% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 62.0% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 63.3% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 64.7% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 66.1% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 67.5% | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 68.9% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 70.2% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 71.6% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 73.0% | +2.0% |
| 2024 | 74.4% | +1.9% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 74.4% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 75.4%, 99% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 74.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.5%, 1.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 47.9% | 42.0% | 53.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.3% | 55.2% | 67.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.6% | 68.9% | 74.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 130 Ghana 76.3% compare
- 131 Oman 76.3% compare
- 132 Afghanistan 74.8% compare
- 134 Namibia 74.3% compare
- 135 Sao Tome and Principe 73.4% compare
- 136 South Africa 73.0% compare
More environment data for Eswatini
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.321 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.02 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2772 % 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 -2.19 % 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 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini?
- Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Eswatini was 74.4% 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 the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 74.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.0% in 2000.
- How does Eswatini rank for share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services?
- Eswatini ranks 133rd out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Eswatini 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 the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services. 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.