Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Rwanda
Rwanda: Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services was 55.6% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Rwanda, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Rwanda stood at 55.6%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Rwanda peaked at 55.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 43.1%, in 2000.
That places Rwanda 159th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
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 Rwanda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 43.1% | — |
| 2001 | 43.6% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 44.2% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 44.7% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 45.2% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 45.7% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 46.2% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 46.7% | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 47.3% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 47.8% | +1.1% |
| 2010 | 48.3% | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 48.8% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 49.3% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 49.8% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 50.4% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 50.9% | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 51.4% | +1.0% |
| 2017 | 51.9% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 52.4% | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 53.0% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 53.5% | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 54.0% | +1.0% |
| 2022 | 54.5% | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 2024 | 55.6% | +0.9% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 55.6% is below the median for low income countries, which is 56.6%, 98% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 55.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.5%, 95% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 45.4% | 43.1% | 47.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 50.6% | 48.3% | 53.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.5% | 53.5% | 55.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
More environment data for Rwanda
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate -31.63 % change on previous year (2013)
- Standard Deviation 0.268 °C (2013)
- Temperature change 1.35 °C (2013)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.0359 % 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 -1.42 % 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 the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Rwanda?
- Share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services in Rwanda 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 the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 55.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.1% in 2000.
- How does Rwanda rank for share of the rural population using at least a basic drinking water services?
- Rwanda ranks 159th 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 Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.