People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Vanuatu
Vanuatu: People in rural areas not using an improved water source was 31,454 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Vanuatu, 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 Vanuatu is 31,454 people, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people in rural areas not using an improved water source in Vanuatu peaked at 31,454 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 25,545 people, in 2000.
That places Vanuatu 104th out of 178 countries with data for 2024, putting it 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 Vanuatu, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 25,545 people | — |
| 2001 | 26,103 people | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 26,666 people | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 27,230 people | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 27,800 people | +2.1% |
| 2005 | 28,010 people | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 28,213 people | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 28,420 people | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 28,639 people | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 28,862 people | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 29,071 people | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 29,255 people | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 29,442 people | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 29,632 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 29,821 people | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 30,002 people | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 30,175 people | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 30,375 people | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 30,584 people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 30,764 people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 30,930 people | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 31,083 people | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 31,224 people | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 31,354 people | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 31,454 people | +0.3% |
Vanuatu compared with similar countries
- Vanuatu's 31,454 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 796,634 people, 4% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Vanuatu's 31,454 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 142,459 people, 22% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27,549 people | 25,545 people | 28,862 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 29,912 people | 29,071 people | 30,764 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 31,209 people | 30,930 people | 31,454 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Vanuatu
More environment data for Vanuatu
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.225 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.02 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.53 % 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 -2.35 % 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 Vanuatu?
- People in rural areas not using an improved water source in Vanuatu was 31,454 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 Vanuatu?
- The highest recorded value was 31,454 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest people in rural areas not using an improved water source recorded in Vanuatu?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,545 people in 2000.
- How does Vanuatu rank for people in rural areas not using an improved water source?
- Vanuatu ranks 104th out of 178 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people in rural areas not using an improved water source rising or falling in Vanuatu?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vanuatu 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.