People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sudan
Sudan: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 3.05 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sudan, 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 Sudan stood at 3.05 million people. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 14.8% on the previous year and down 55.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sudan peaked at 8.91 million people in 2004 and was at its lowest, 3.05 million people, in 2024.
That places Sudan 23rd out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
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 Sudan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.13 million people | — |
| 2001 | 8.33 million people | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 8.53 million people | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 8.72 million people | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 8.91 million people | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 8.75 million people | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 8.58 million people | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 8.41 million people | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 8.25 million people | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 8.08 million people | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 7.87 million people | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 7.60 million people | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 7.34 million people | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 7.07 million people | -3.7% |
| 2014 | 6.81 million people | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 6.55 million people | -3.8% |
| 2016 | 6.27 million people | -4.3% |
| 2017 | 5.99 million people | -4.4% |
| 2018 | 5.69 million people | -5.0% |
| 2019 | 5.34 million people | -6.3% |
| 2020 | 4.94 million people | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 4.53 million people | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 4.09 million people | -9.6% |
| 2023 | 3.59 million people | -12.4% |
| 2024 | 3.05 million people | -14.8% |
Sudan compared with similar countries
- Sudan's 3.05 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 2.34 million people, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sudan's 3.05 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.93 million people, 1.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.47 million people | 8.08 million people | 8.91 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.65 million people | 5.34 million people | 7.87 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.04 million people | 3.05 million people | 4.94 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sudan
More environment data for Sudan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -15.6 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -15.35 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.327 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.21 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2472 % 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 -0.03 % 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 Sudan?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sudan was 3.05 million 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 Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 8.91 million people in 2004.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.05 million people in 2024.
- How does Sudan rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Sudan ranks 23rd out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sudan 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.