Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Jamaica
Jamaica: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 1.9% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Jamaica, 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 Jamaica is 1.9%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% on the previous year and down 45.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Jamaica peaked at 6.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2024.
That places Jamaica 98th out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.0% | — |
| 2001 | 5.8% | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 5.7% | -3.1% |
| 2003 | 5.5% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | -3.2% |
| 2005 | 5.1% | -3.3% |
| 2006 | 5.0% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 4.8% | -3.5% |
| 2008 | 4.6% | -3.6% |
| 2009 | 4.4% | -3.7% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | -3.9% |
| 2011 | 4.1% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 3.9% | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 3.8% | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 3.6% | -4.5% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | -4.7% |
| 2016 | 3.2% | -4.9% |
| 2017 | 3.1% | -5.1% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | -5.4% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -6.0% |
| 2021 | 2.4% | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -6.6% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | -7.0% |
| 2024 | 1.9% | -7.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 1.9% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.2%, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 1.9% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.1%, 1.8× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.2% | 4.4% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.5% | 2.8% | 4.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
- 95 Dominican Republic 2.1% compare
- 96 Cape Verde 2.0% compare
- 97 Jersey 1.9% compare
- 99 Montserrat 1.9% compare
- 100 Egypt 1.9% compare
- 101 India 1.9% compare
More environment data for Jamaica
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.284 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.76 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 4.23 % 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 -0.7158 % 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 Jamaica?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Jamaica was 1.9% 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 6.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2024.
- How does Jamaica rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Jamaica ranks 98th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 45.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.