People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia
Australia: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 0 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia is 0 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia peaked at 29,166 people in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2014.
That places Australia 138th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 28,453 people | — |
| 2001 | 29,046 people | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 29,166 people | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 26,739 people | -8.3% |
| 2004 | 24,294 people | -9.1% |
| 2005 | 21,851 people | -10.1% |
| 2006 | 19,427 people | -11.1% |
| 2007 | 17,016 people | -12.4% |
| 2008 | 14,587 people | -14.3% |
| 2009 | 12,093 people | -17.1% |
| 2010 | 9,842 people | -18.6% |
| 2011 | 9,905 people | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 9,991 people | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 10,081 people | +0.9% |
| 2014 | 0 people | -100.0% |
| 2015 | 0 people | — |
| 2016 | 0 people | — |
| 2017 | 0 people | — |
| 2018 | 0 people | — |
| 2019 | 0 people | — |
| 2020 | 0 people | — |
| 2021 | 0 people | — |
| 2022 | 0 people | — |
| 2023 | 0 people | — |
| 2024 | 0 people | — |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 0 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 142,459 people. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | -100.0% | 10,081 people | 0 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22,267 people | 12,093 people | 29,166 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,982 people | 0 people | 10,081 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 0 people | 0 people | 0 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 135 Palau 27.5 people compare
- 136 Cook Islands 6.09 people compare
- 137 Tuvalu 3.29 people compare
- 138 Andorra 0 people
- 138 Armenia 0 people compare
- 138 Austria 0 people
- 138 Belgium 0 people
- 138 Bhutan 0 people compare
- 138 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 people compare
- 138 Brazil 0 people compare
- 138 Costa Rica 0 people compare
- 138 Denmark 0 people
- 138 Estonia 0 people compare
- 138 Finland 0 people
- 138 France 0 people
- 138 Germany 0 people
- 138 Greece 0 people compare
- 138 Greenland 0 people
- 138 Hungary 0 people compare
- 138 Iceland 0 people
- 138 Israel 0 people
- 138 Luxembourg 0 people
- 138 Maldives 0 people compare
- 138 Malta 0 people
- 138 Netherlands 0 people
- 138 New Zealand 0 people
- 138 Norway 0 people
- 138 Palestine 0 people compare
- 138 Paraguay 0 people compare
- 138 Romania 0 people
- 138 Saint Lucia 0 people compare
- 138 San Marino 0 people
- 138 Slovakia 0 people
- 138 Spain 0 people
- 138 Switzerland 0 people
- 138 Syria 0 people compare
- 138 Thailand 0 people compare
- 138 Tokelau 0 people compare
- 138 Turkmenistan 0 people compare
- 138 United Arab Emirates 0 people compare
- 138 United Kingdom 0 people
- 138 United States 0 people compare
- 138 Uruguay 0 people compare
More environment data for Australia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.75 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.345 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.4 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.6708 % 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 0.0861 % 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 people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Australia was 0 people 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 people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 29,166 people in 2002.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2014.
- How does Australia rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Australia ranks 138th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Australia 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 People in rural areas not using an improved 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
Number of people not using improved drinking water sources. These people might use surface water sources or unprotected springs or wells, as no safe and reliable improved drinking water source is available to them.