Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan
Bhutan: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 0.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan, 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 Bhutan is 0.1%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of down 25.3% on the previous year and down 97.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan peaked at 14.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2024.
That places Bhutan 174th out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.2% | — |
| 2001 | 13.3% | -6.6% |
| 2002 | 12.3% | -6.9% |
| 2003 | 11.4% | -7.3% |
| 2004 | 10.6% | -7.7% |
| 2005 | 9.7% | -8.1% |
| 2006 | 8.9% | -8.2% |
| 2007 | 8.1% | -8.8% |
| 2008 | 7.4% | -9.4% |
| 2009 | 6.6% | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 5.9% | -11.2% |
| 2011 | 5.1% | -12.3% |
| 2012 | 4.4% | -13.8% |
| 2013 | 3.7% | -15.6% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | -18.1% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | -21.7% |
| 2016 | 1.7% | -27.1% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | -36.3% |
| 2018 | 0.6% | -43.6% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -71.5% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -11.4% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | -13.3% |
| 2022 | 0.1% | -16.0% |
| 2023 | 0.1% | -19.7% |
| 2024 | 0.1% | -25.3% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 0.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.0%, 1% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 0.1% is below the median for South Asia, which is 1.2%, 6% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | -71.5% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 10.2% | 6.6% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 0.2% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 171 Spain 0.1% compare
- 172 Guadeloupe 0.1% compare
- 173 Mauritius 0.1% compare
- 175 Armenia 0.1% compare
- 176 Saint Lucia 0.1% compare
- 177 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.0% compare
More environment data for Bhutan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.2782 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.5977 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.257 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.08 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.487 % 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 -5.53 % 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 Bhutan?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Bhutan was 0.1% 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 14.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2024.
- How does Bhutan rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Bhutan ranks 174th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 97.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.