Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Share of urban population using at least basic water services was 96.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Afghanistan, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Afghanistan recorded 96.9% for share of urban population using at least basic water services in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 19.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population using at least basic water services in Afghanistan peaked at 96.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 57.1%, in 2000.
That places Afghanistan 115th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 57.1% | — |
| 2001 | 57.1% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 58.9% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 60.7% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 62.5% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 64.2% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 66.0% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 67.9% | +2.8% |
| 2008 | 69.8% | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 71.6% | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 73.5% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 75.4% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 77.3% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 79.2% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 81.1% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 83.0% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 84.9% | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 86.8% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 88.7% | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 90.6% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 92.5% | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 94.4% | +2.1% |
| 2022 | 96.4% | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 96.8% | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 96.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 86.0%, 1.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 96.9% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 98.4%, 98% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 63.6% | 57.1% | 71.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.0% | 73.5% | 90.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 95.4% | 92.5% | 96.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
More environment data for Afghanistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -19.95 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -17.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.547 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.85 % 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 0.7636 % 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 urban population using at least basic water services in Afghanistan?
- Share of urban population using at least basic water services in Afghanistan was 96.9% 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 urban population using at least basic water services recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 96.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of urban population using at least basic water services recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.1% in 2000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for share of urban population using at least basic water services?
- Afghanistan ranks 115th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of urban population using at least basic water services rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan 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 urban population using at least basic water services. 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, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.