People in rural areas not using an improved water source in East Timor
East Timor: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 114,012 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in East Timor, 2002–2024
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 East Timor is 114,012 people, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 23 years on record.
The figure is down 13.0% on the previous year and down 56.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in East Timor peaked at 356,370 people in 2003 and was at its lowest, 114,012 people, in 2024.
That places East Timor 84th 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 23 years of available data.
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in East Timor, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 355,919 people | — |
| 2003 | 356,370 people | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 346,207 people | -2.9% |
| 2005 | 338,462 people | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 333,312 people | -1.5% |
| 2007 | 327,400 people | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 320,492 people | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 312,514 people | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 303,737 people | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 294,206 people | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 283,837 people | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 272,675 people | -3.9% |
| 2014 | 260,824 people | -4.3% |
| 2015 | 248,449 people | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 235,546 people | -5.2% |
| 2017 | 222,179 people | -5.7% |
| 2018 | 208,449 people | -6.2% |
| 2019 | 194,316 people | -6.8% |
| 2020 | 179,674 people | -7.5% |
| 2021 | 164,399 people | -8.5% |
| 2022 | 148,116 people | -9.9% |
| 2023 | 131,112 people | -11.5% |
| 2024 | 114,012 people | -13.0% |
East Timor compared with similar countries
- East Timor's 114,012 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 796,634 people, 14% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- East Timor's 114,012 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 142,459 people, 80% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 336,334 people | 312,514 people | 356,370 people | 8 |
| 2010s | 252,422 people | 194,316 people | 303,737 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 147,463 people | 114,012 people | 179,674 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near East Timor
More environment data for East Timor
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.36 % 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 3.32 % 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) -3.97 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people in rural areas not using an improved water source in East Timor?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in East Timor was 114,012 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 East Timor?
- The highest recorded value was 356,370 people in 2003.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in East Timor?
- The lowest recorded value was 114,012 people in 2024.
- How does East Timor rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- East Timor ranks 84th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in East Timor?
- Over the last ten years it is down 56.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this East Timor 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 — 23 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.