Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Congo
Congo: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 16.2% in 2021. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Congo, 2000–2021
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2021, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Congo stood at 16.2%. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Congo peaked at 31.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 16.2%, in 2021.
That places Congo 25th out of 231 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31.2% | — |
| 2001 | 30.9% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 30.6% | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 30.2% | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 29.1% | -3.4% |
| 2005 | 28.1% | -3.5% |
| 2006 | 27.1% | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 26.1% | -3.7% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | -3.7% |
| 2009 | 24.2% | -3.8% |
| 2010 | 23.2% | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 22.3% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 21.4% | -4.1% |
| 2013 | 20.5% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 19.6% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 18.7% | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 17.8% | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 16.9% | -4.8% |
| 2018 | 16.8% | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 16.6% | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 16.4% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 16.2% | -1.2% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 16.2% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.0%, 2.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 16.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.8%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 28.3% | 24.2% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.4% | 16.6% | 23.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.3% | 16.2% | 16.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More environment data for Congo
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -9.96 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.202 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.13 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8453 % 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 -0.4756 % 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 Congo?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Congo was 16.2% in 2021, 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 31.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.2% in 2021.
- How does Congo rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Congo ranks 25th out of 231 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Congo 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.