People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Gambia
Gambia: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 84,097 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Gambia, 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 Gambia is 84,097 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 6.4% on the previous year and down 38.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Gambia peaked at 184,294 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 84,097 people, in 2024.
Gambia ranks 88th 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 Gambia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 184,294 people | — |
| 2001 | 181,089 people | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 177,706 people | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 174,333 people | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 171,383 people | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 168,379 people | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 165,354 people | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 162,264 people | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 159,028 people | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 155,648 people | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 152,120 people | -2.3% |
| 2011 | 148,469 people | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 144,695 people | -2.5% |
| 2013 | 140,755 people | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 136,563 people | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 132,095 people | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 127,380 people | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 122,432 people | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 117,269 people | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 111,948 people | -4.5% |
| 2020 | 106,565 people | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 101,106 people | -5.1% |
| 2022 | 95,524 people | -5.5% |
| 2023 | 89,853 people | -5.9% |
| 2024 | 84,097 people | -6.4% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 84,097 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.34 million people, 4% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 84,097 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.93 million people, 4% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 169,948 people | 155,648 people | 184,294 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 133,373 people | 111,948 people | 152,120 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 95,429 people | 84,097 people | 106,565 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
More environment data for Gambia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.18 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.366 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.36 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9281 % 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 -1.52 % 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 Gambia?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Gambia was 84,097 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 Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 184,294 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 84,097 people in 2024.
- How does Gambia rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Gambia ranks 88th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gambia 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.