People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sweden
Sweden: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 5,240 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sweden, 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
Sweden recorded 5,240 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.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 53.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sweden peaked at 20,948 people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 5,240 people, in 2024.
That places Sweden 114th 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 20,948 people | — |
| 2001 | 20,311 people | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 19,664 people | -3.2% |
| 2003 | 19,025 people | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 18,391 people | -3.3% |
| 2005 | 17,759 people | -3.4% |
| 2006 | 17,099 people | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 16,421 people | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 15,750 people | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 15,093 people | -4.2% |
| 2010 | 14,439 people | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 13,692 people | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 12,878 people | -5.9% |
| 2013 | 12,097 people | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 11,351 people | -6.2% |
| 2015 | 10,626 people | -6.4% |
| 2016 | 9,937 people | -6.5% |
| 2017 | 9,267 people | -6.7% |
| 2018 | 8,595 people | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 7,926 people | -7.8% |
| 2020 | 7,251 people | -8.5% |
| 2021 | 6,588 people | -9.1% |
| 2022 | 5,949 people | -9.7% |
| 2023 | 5,325 people | -10.5% |
| 2024 | 5,240 people | -1.6% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 5,240 people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 1,044 people, 5.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18,046 people | 15,093 people | 20,948 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 11,081 people | 7,926 people | 14,439 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,071 people | 5,240 people | 7,251 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 111 Oman 12,302 people compare
- 112 Cape Verde 10,287 people compare
- 113 Latvia 8,473 people compare
- 115 Trinidad and Tobago 4,117 people compare
- 116 Suriname 3,876 people compare
- 117 Sao Tome and Principe 3,680 people compare
More environment data for Sweden
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.852 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.72 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.27 % 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 -0.0922 % 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 Sweden?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Sweden was 5,240 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 20,948 people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 5,240 people in 2024.
- How does Sweden rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Sweden ranks 114th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 53.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden 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.