People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Portugal
Portugal: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 73,082 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Portugal, 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 Portugal stood at 73,082 people.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 22.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Portugal peaked at 74,318 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 23,807 people, in 2000.
Portugal ranks 91st of 178 countries on this measure, 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 Portugal, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 23,807 people | — |
| 2001 | 27,098 people | +13.8% |
| 2002 | 30,311 people | +11.9% |
| 2003 | 33,407 people | +10.2% |
| 2004 | 36,382 people | +8.9% |
| 2005 | 39,258 people | +7.9% |
| 2006 | 42,047 people | +7.1% |
| 2007 | 44,761 people | +6.5% |
| 2008 | 47,368 people | +5.8% |
| 2009 | 49,869 people | +5.3% |
| 2010 | 52,234 people | +4.7% |
| 2011 | 54,386 people | +4.1% |
| 2012 | 56,322 people | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 58,096 people | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 59,781 people | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 61,463 people | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 63,126 people | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 64,757 people | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 66,373 people | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 68,067 people | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 69,760 people | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 71,344 people | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 72,905 people | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 74,318 people | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 73,082 people | -1.7% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 73,082 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,044 people, 70.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37,431 people | 23,807 people | 49,869 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 60,461 people | 52,234 people | 68,067 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 72,282 people | 69,760 people | 74,318 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More environment data for Portugal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.6043 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.5127 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.44 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.29 % 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 0.1607 % 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 Portugal?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Portugal was 73,082 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 Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 74,318 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,807 people in 2000.
- How does Portugal rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Portugal ranks 91st out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Portugal 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.