People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Nepal
Nepal: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 543,050 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Nepal, 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 Nepal is 543,050 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 25.2% on the previous year and down 76.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Nepal peaked at 4.44 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 543,050 people, in 2024.
That places Nepal 62nd 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 4.44 million people | — |
| 2001 | 4.32 million people | -2.7% |
| 2002 | 4.20 million people | -2.7% |
| 2003 | 4.08 million people | -3.0% |
| 2004 | 3.94 million people | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 3.80 million people | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 3.65 million people | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 3.49 million people | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 3.33 million people | -4.6% |
| 2009 | 3.17 million people | -5.0% |
| 2010 | 3.00 million people | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 2.82 million people | -5.8% |
| 2012 | 2.64 million people | -6.4% |
| 2013 | 2.46 million people | -6.9% |
| 2014 | 2.28 million people | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 2.11 million people | -7.6% |
| 2016 | 1.93 million people | -8.3% |
| 2017 | 1.75 million people | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 1.58 million people | -10.2% |
| 2019 | 1.41 million people | -10.4% |
| 2020 | 1.25 million people | -11.2% |
| 2021 | 1.09 million people | -13.1% |
| 2022 | 911,131 people | -16.3% |
| 2023 | 726,173 people | -20.3% |
| 2024 | 543,050 people | -25.2% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 543,050 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 796,634 people, 68% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 543,050 people is below the median for South Asia, which is 585,844 people, 93% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.84 million people | 3.17 million people | 4.44 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.20 million people | 1.41 million people | 3.00 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 904,477 people | 543,050 people | 1.25 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 59 Bangladesh 628,637 people compare
- 60 Mexico 600,167 people compare
- 61 Liberia 596,153 people compare
- 63 Mauritania 508,969 people compare
- 64 Guinea-Bissau 422,890 people compare
- 65 Uzbekistan 399,896 people compare
More environment data for Nepal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.41 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.265 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.43 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.54 % 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 -6.53 % 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 Nepal?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Nepal was 543,050 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 4.44 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 543,050 people in 2024.
- How does Nepal rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Nepal ranks 62nd out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 76.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal 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
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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.