People in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 2,487 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Macedonia, 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 North Macedonia stood at 2,487 people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 69.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Macedonia peaked at 14,235 people in 2004 and was at its lowest, 2,487 people, in 2024.
That places North Macedonia 119th 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 North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 13,757 people | — |
| 2001 | 13,887 people | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 14,012 people | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 14,129 people | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 14,235 people | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 13,722 people | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 13,170 people | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 12,565 people | -4.6% |
| 2008 | 11,929 people | -5.1% |
| 2009 | 11,294 people | -5.3% |
| 2010 | 10,662 people | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 10,017 people | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 9,362 people | -6.5% |
| 2013 | 8,706 people | -7.0% |
| 2014 | 8,048 people | -7.6% |
| 2015 | 7,389 people | -8.2% |
| 2016 | 6,734 people | -8.9% |
| 2017 | 6,085 people | -9.6% |
| 2018 | 5,447 people | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 4,822 people | -11.5% |
| 2020 | 4,205 people | -12.8% |
| 2021 | 3,616 people | -14.0% |
| 2022 | 3,062 people | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 2,524 people | -17.6% |
| 2024 | 2,487 people | -1.4% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's 2,487 people is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 40,286 people, 6% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's 2,487 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,044 people, 2.4× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13,270 people | 11,294 people | 14,235 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,727 people | 4,822 people | 10,662 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,179 people | 2,487 people | 4,205 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
More environment data for North Macedonia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.21 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.483 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.22 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -7.16 % 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 -10.18 % 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 North Macedonia?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in North Macedonia was 2,487 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 North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 14,235 people in 2004.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,487 people in 2024.
- How does North Macedonia rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- North Macedonia ranks 119th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 69.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.