People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Liberia
Liberia: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 596,153 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Liberia, 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
Liberia recorded 596,153 people for people in rural areas not using an improved water source in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 3.6% on the previous year and down 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Liberia peaked at 830,891 people in 2008 and was at its lowest, 596,153 people, in 2024.
That places Liberia 61st out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Liberia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 816,357 people | — |
| 2001 | 816,774 people | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 813,971 people | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 796,205 people | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 781,404 people | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 791,886 people | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 811,041 people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 825,010 people | +1.7% |
| 2008 | 830,891 people | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 828,368 people | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 822,949 people | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 825,062 people | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 823,059 people | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 809,164 people | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 793,578 people | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 777,089 people | -2.1% |
| 2016 | 759,701 people | -2.2% |
| 2017 | 740,862 people | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 721,416 people | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 701,462 people | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 681,445 people | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 660,940 people | -3.0% |
| 2022 | 639,935 people | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 618,553 people | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 596,153 people | -3.6% |
Liberia compared with similar countries
- Liberia's 596,153 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.34 million people, 25% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Liberia's 596,153 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.93 million people, 31% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 811,191 people | 781,404 people | 830,891 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 777,434 people | 701,462 people | 825,062 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 639,405 people | 596,153 people | 681,445 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Liberia
- 58 Guatemala 707,323 people compare
- 59 Bangladesh 628,637 people compare
- 60 Mexico 600,167 people compare
- 62 Nepal 543,050 people compare
- 63 Mauritania 508,969 people compare
- 64 Guinea-Bissau 422,890 people compare
More environment data for Liberia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.21 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.28 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.221 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.42 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.07 % 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 0.261 % 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 Liberia?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Liberia was 596,153 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 Liberia?
- The highest recorded value was 830,891 people in 2008.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Liberia?
- The lowest recorded value was 596,153 people in 2024.
- How does Liberia rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Liberia ranks 61st out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Liberia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Liberia 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.