People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 38,710 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bulgaria, 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 Bulgaria stood at 38,710 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.6% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bulgaria peaked at 38,710 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 9,065 people, in 2000.
That places Bulgaria 97th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9,065 people | — |
| 2001 | 11,076 people | +22.2% |
| 2002 | 12,982 people | +17.2% |
| 2003 | 14,823 people | +14.2% |
| 2004 | 16,594 people | +11.9% |
| 2005 | 18,292 people | +10.2% |
| 2006 | 19,918 people | +8.9% |
| 2007 | 21,478 people | +7.8% |
| 2008 | 22,975 people | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 24,419 people | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 25,790 people | +5.6% |
| 2011 | 27,072 people | +5.0% |
| 2012 | 28,266 people | +4.4% |
| 2013 | 29,433 people | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 30,585 people | +3.9% |
| 2015 | 31,657 people | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 32,650 people | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 33,574 people | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 34,445 people | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 35,266 people | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 36,069 people | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 36,740 people | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 37,384 people | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 38,092 people | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 38,710 people | +1.6% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 38,710 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,044 people, 37.1× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17,162 people | 9,065 people | 24,419 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,874 people | 25,790 people | 35,266 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 37,399 people | 36,069 people | 38,710 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More environment data for Bulgaria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.573 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -6.02 % 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 -0.7509 % 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 Bulgaria?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Bulgaria was 38,710 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 38,710 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,065 people in 2000.
- How does Bulgaria rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Bulgaria ranks 97th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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.