Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 15.2% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan is 15.2%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 10.6% on the previous year and down 59.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan peaked at 67.5% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 15.2%, in 2024.
Afghanistan ranks 29th of 231 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 67.5% | — |
| 2001 | 67.5% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 65.2% | -3.4% |
| 2003 | 62.9% | -3.5% |
| 2004 | 60.6% | -3.7% |
| 2005 | 58.3% | -3.8% |
| 2006 | 56.0% | -4.0% |
| 2007 | 53.6% | -4.2% |
| 2008 | 51.3% | -4.3% |
| 2009 | 49.0% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 46.7% | -4.7% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 42.0% | -5.2% |
| 2013 | 39.7% | -5.5% |
| 2014 | 37.4% | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 35.1% | -6.2% |
| 2016 | 32.8% | -6.6% |
| 2017 | 30.5% | -7.0% |
| 2018 | 28.2% | -7.6% |
| 2019 | 25.9% | -8.2% |
| 2020 | 23.5% | -9.0% |
| 2021 | 21.2% | -9.8% |
| 2022 | 18.9% | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 17.0% | -10.0% |
| 2024 | 15.2% | -10.6% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 15.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 16.7%, 91% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 15.2% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.3%, 59.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 59.2% | 49.0% | 67.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.3% | 25.9% | 46.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 15.2% | 23.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More environment data for Afghanistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -19.95 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -17.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.547 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.85 % 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 0.7636 % 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 share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Afghanistan was 15.2% 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 share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 67.5% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.2% in 2024.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Afghanistan ranks 29th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 Share of population not using improved drinking water sources. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Proportion 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.