Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Laos
Laos: Share of population not using improved drinking water sources was 4.1% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Laos, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Laos recorded 4.1% for share of population not using improved drinking water sources in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.3% on the previous year and down 81.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Laos peaked at 51.0% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 4.1%, in 2024.
That places Laos 68th out of 231 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
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 Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 51.0% | — |
| 2001 | 48.7% | -4.5% |
| 2002 | 46.4% | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 44.1% | -4.9% |
| 2004 | 41.9% | -5.1% |
| 2005 | 39.7% | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 37.7% | -5.1% |
| 2007 | 35.7% | -5.3% |
| 2008 | 33.7% | -5.6% |
| 2009 | 31.7% | -5.9% |
| 2010 | 29.7% | -6.2% |
| 2011 | 27.8% | -6.6% |
| 2012 | 25.8% | -7.0% |
| 2013 | 23.9% | -7.5% |
| 2014 | 22.0% | -8.0% |
| 2015 | 20.1% | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 18.2% | -9.4% |
| 2017 | 16.3% | -10.3% |
| 2018 | 14.5% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | -12.7% |
| 2020 | 10.8% | -14.4% |
| 2021 | 9.0% | -16.7% |
| 2022 | 7.2% | -19.9% |
| 2023 | 5.5% | -23.1% |
| 2024 | 4.1% | -25.3% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 4.1% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 8.0%, 51% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 4.1% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.2%, 3.4× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.0% | 31.7% | 51.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.1% | 12.6% | 29.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.3% | 4.1% | 10.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More environment data for Laos
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.77 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9142 % 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 0.4183 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Laos?
- Share of population not using improved drinking water sources in Laos was 4.1% 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 Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 51.0% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of population not using improved drinking water sources recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.1% in 2024.
- How does Laos rank for share of population not using improved drinking water sources?
- Laos ranks 68th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population not using improved drinking water sources rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos 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.