People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia
Bolivia: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 742,511 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia, 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
In 2024, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia stood at 742,511 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.7% on the previous year and down 27.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia peaked at 1.36 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 742,511 people, in 2024.
Bolivia ranks 55th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.36 million people | — |
| 2001 | 1.33 million people | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 1.31 million people | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 1.29 million people | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 1.26 million people | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 1.24 million people | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 1.22 million people | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 1.19 million people | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 1.17 million people | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 1.15 million people | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 1.12 million people | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 1.10 million people | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 1.07 million people | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 1.04 million people | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 1.02 million people | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 995,371 people | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 969,885 people | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 943,892 people | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 917,239 people | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 889,972 people | -3.0% |
| 2020 | 860,895 people | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 829,824 people | -3.6% |
| 2022 | 799,817 people | -3.6% |
| 2023 | 771,307 people | -3.6% |
| 2024 | 742,511 people | -3.7% |
Bolivia compared with similar countries
- Bolivia's 742,511 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 796,634 people, 93% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Bolivia's 742,511 people is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 48,260 people, 15.4× the median. (28 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.25 million people | 1.15 million people | 1.36 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.01 million people | 889,972 people | 1.12 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 800,871 people | 742,511 people | 860,895 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bolivia
More environment data for Bolivia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -6.2 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.09 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 11.44 % 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 2.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 2.89 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bolivia was 742,511 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 Bolivia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.36 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Bolivia?
- The lowest recorded value was 742,511 people in 2024.
- How does Bolivia rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Bolivia ranks 55th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Bolivia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bolivia 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.