Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas was 38.4% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia, 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 safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia stood at 38.4%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia peaked at 38.4% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.8%, in 2000.
Ethiopia ranks 90th 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 Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 35.8% | — |
| 2001 | 35.9% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 36.0% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 36.1% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 36.2% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 36.3% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 36.4% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 36.5% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 36.7% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 36.8% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 36.9% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 37.0% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 37.1% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 37.2% | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 37.3% | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 37.4% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 37.5% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 37.6% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 37.7% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 37.9% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 38.0% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 38.1% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 38.2% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 38.3% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 38.4% | +0.3% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 38.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 38.5%, 100% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 38.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 45.2%, 85% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36.3% | 35.8% | 36.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.4% | 36.9% | 37.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.2% | 38.0% | 38.4% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 87 Sao Tome and Principe 40.3% compare
- 88 Uganda 40.0% compare
- 89 Madagascar 38.6% compare
- 91 Vanuatu 38.3% compare
- 92 Afghanistan 36.4% compare
- 93 Guinea-Bissau 36.1% compare
More environment data for Ethiopia
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.272 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.39 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 2.83 % 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 0.1478 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia?
- Using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas in Ethiopia was 38.4% 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 38.4% in 2024.
- What is the lowest using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.8% in 2000.
- How does Ethiopia rank for using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas?
- Ethiopia ranks 90th out of 105 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using safely managed drinking water in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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.