People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Tanzania
Tanzania: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 14.74 million people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania is 14.74 million people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.9% on the previous year and down 17.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Tanzania peaked at 19.90 million people in 2000 and was at its lowest, 14.74 million people, in 2024.
That places Tanzania 6th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.90 million people | — |
| 2001 | 19.90 million people | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 19.86 million people | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 19.77 million people | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 19.67 million people | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 19.56 million people | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 19.45 million people | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 19.32 million people | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 19.15 million people | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 18.92 million people | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 18.69 million people | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 18.49 million people | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 18.29 million people | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 18.10 million people | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 17.89 million people | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 17.70 million people | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 17.52 million people | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 17.30 million people | -1.2% |
| 2018 | 17.03 million people | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 16.70 million people | -1.9% |
| 2020 | 16.36 million people | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 16.00 million people | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 15.61 million people | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 15.19 million people | -2.7% |
| 2024 | 14.74 million people | -2.9% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 14.74 million people is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 796,634 people, 18.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 14.74 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.93 million people, 7.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 19.55 million people | 18.92 million people | 19.90 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.77 million people | 16.70 million people | 18.69 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 15.58 million people | 14.74 million people | 16.36 million people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More environment data for Tanzania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % 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 5.16 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Tanzania?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Tanzania was 14.74 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 19.90 million people in 2000.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.74 million people in 2024.
- How does Tanzania rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Tanzania ranks 6th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.