Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas was 36.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas 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
The most recent figure for using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Afghanistan is 36.4%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Afghanistan peaked at 36.4% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 21.9%, in 2000.
Afghanistan ranks 92nd of 105 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 21.9% | — |
| 2001 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 22.6% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 23.3% | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 23.9% | +2.9% |
| 2005 | 24.6% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 25.3% | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 26.0% | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 26.7% | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 27.4% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 28.0% | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 28.7% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 29.4% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 30.1% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 30.8% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 31.5% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 32.2% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 32.8% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 33.5% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 34.2% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 34.9% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 35.6% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 36.3% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 36.4% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 36.4% | +0.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 36.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 38.5%, 95% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 36.4% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 77.0%, 47% of the median. (10 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 24.4% | 21.9% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 31.1% | 28.0% | 34.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.9% | 34.9% | 36.4% | 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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -100 % change on previous year (1990)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Afghanistan?
- Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Afghanistan was 36.4% 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 safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 36.4% in 2023.
- What is the lowest using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.9% in 2000.
- How does Afghanistan rank for using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas?
- Afghanistan ranks 92nd out of 105 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. 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 Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas. 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 using an improved drinking water source that is located on premises, available when needed and free from fecal and priority chemical contamination.