Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi
Malawi: Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population was 96.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi stood at 96.0%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi peaked at 96.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 93.5%, in 2000.
Malawi ranks 161st of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 93.5% | — |
| 2001 | 93.6% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 93.7% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 93.8% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 93.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 94.1% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 94.2% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 94.3% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 94.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 94.5% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 94.6% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 94.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 94.8% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 94.9% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 95.0% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 95.1% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 95.2% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 95.3% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 95.4% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 95.5% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 95.6% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 95.7% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 95.8% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 95.9% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 96.0% | +0.1% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 96.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 96.0%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 96.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 96.6%, 99% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 94.0% | 93.5% | 94.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.0% | 94.6% | 95.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.8% | 95.6% | 96.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % 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 5.3 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi?
- Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Malawi was 96.0% 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 using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 96.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.5% in 2000.
- How does Malawi rank for using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population?
- Malawi ranks 161st out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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 Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population. 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 who use an improved drinking water source, regardless of collection time. An improved drinking water source is a safely designed drinking water source and includes e.g. piped water, boreholes or tubewells and packaged or delivered water.