Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Cameroon
Cameroon: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 81.6% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Cameroon, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Cameroon recorded 81.6% for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in 2024.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Cameroon peaked at 82.7% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 81.4%, in 2023.
That places Cameroon 175th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Cameroon, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 82.7% | — |
| 2001 | 82.6% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 82.6% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 82.5% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 82.5% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 82.4% | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 82.4% | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 82.3% | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 82.3% | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 82.2% | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 82.2% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 82.1% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 82.1% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 82.0% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 81.9% | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 81.8% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 81.7% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 81.6% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 81.6% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 81.5% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 81.5% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 81.4% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 81.6% | +0.2% |
Cameroon compared with similar countries
- Cameroon's 81.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 94.4%, 86% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Cameroon's 81.6% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.8%, 93% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 82.4% | 82.2% | 82.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 81.9% | 81.6% | 82.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 81.5% | 81.4% | 81.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Cameroon
- 172 Ethiopia 83.5% compare
- 173 Angola 81.7% compare
- 174 Sierra Leone 81.7% compare
- 176 Burkina Faso 81.5% compare
- 177 Uganda 80.0% compare
- 178 Sao Tome and Principe 79.3% compare
More environment data for Cameroon
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -8.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.211 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.15 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.6539 % 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 0.4385 % 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 at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Cameroon?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Cameroon was 81.6% 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 at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Cameroon?
- The highest recorded value was 82.7% in 2000.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Cameroon?
- The lowest recorded value was 81.4% in 2023.
- How does Cameroon rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- Cameroon ranks 175th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in Cameroon?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Cameroon 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 at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.