Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Somalia
Somalia: Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population was 90.2% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Somalia, 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 Somalia stood at 90.2%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 5.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Somalia peaked at 90.2% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 78.1%, in 2000.
That places Somalia 181st out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Somalia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 78.1% | — |
| 2001 | 78.6% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 79.1% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 79.6% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 80.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 80.6% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 81.1% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 81.6% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 82.1% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 82.6% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 83.1% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 83.6% | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 84.1% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 84.6% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 85.2% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 85.7% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 86.2% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 86.7% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 87.2% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 87.7% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 88.2% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 88.7% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 89.2% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 89.7% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 90.2% | +0.6% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 90.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 96.0%, 94% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 90.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 96.6%, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 80.4% | 78.1% | 82.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.4% | 83.1% | 87.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.2% | 88.2% | 90.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 178 Togo 91.7% compare
- 179 Chad 91.3% compare
- 180 Guinea-Bissau 91.1% compare
- 182 Democratic Republic of Congo 89.7% compare
- 183 Papua New Guinea 89.4% compare
- 184 South Sudan 87.4% compare
More environment data for Somalia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -28.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -24.06 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.278 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.53 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5029 % 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 -0.1376 % 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 using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Somalia?
- Using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population in Somalia was 90.2% 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 Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 90.2% in 2024.
- What is the lowest using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 78.1% in 2000.
- How does Somalia rank for using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population?
- Somalia ranks 181st out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using improved water sources: urban vs. rural population rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Somalia 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
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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.