Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Central African Republic
Central African Republic: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 36.7% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Central African Republic, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Central African Republic recorded 36.7% for share of population not using improved drinking water sources in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 1.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Central African Republic peaked at 37.2% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 32.8%, in 2000.
Central African Republic ranks 4th of 231 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Central African Republic, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 32.8% | — |
| 2001 | 33.1% | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 33.4% | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 33.6% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 33.9% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 34.2% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 34.4% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 34.7% | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 34.9% | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 35.1% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 35.4% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 35.6% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 35.8% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 36.0% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 36.2% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 36.3% | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 36.5% | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 36.7% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 36.8% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 37.0% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 37.1% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 37.2% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 37.1% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 36.9% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 36.7% | -0.5% |
Central African Republic compared with similar countries
- Central African Republic's 36.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 16.7%, 2.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Central African Republic's 36.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.8%, 2.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.0% | 32.8% | 35.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.2% | 35.4% | 37.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.0% | 36.7% | 37.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Central African Republic
- 1 Democratic Republic of Congo 40.2% compare
- 2 Madagascar 39.6% compare
- 3 Papua New Guinea 39.4% compare
- 5 Chad 35.2% compare
- 6 Equatorial Guinea 32.4% compare
- 7 Eritrea 30.6% compare
More environment data for Central African Republic
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -17.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -17.75 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.218 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.3 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.22 % 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 1.2 % 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 Central African Republic?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Central African Republic was 36.7% 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 Central African Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 37.2% in 2021.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Central African Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.8% in 2000.
- How does Central African Republic rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Central African Republic ranks 4th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Central African Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Central African Republic 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.
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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.