Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Iraq
Iraq: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 99.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Iraq, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Iraq recorded 99.8% for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Iraq peaked at 99.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 93.2%, in 2000.
Iraq ranks 57th of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Iraq, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 93.2% | — |
| 2001 | 93.5% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 93.9% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 94.2% | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 94.5% | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 94.9% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 95.2% | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 95.6% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 95.9% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 96.3% | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 96.6% | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 97.0% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 97.3% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 97.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 98.0% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 98.3% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 98.7% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 99.0% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 99.4% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 99.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 99.8% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 99.8% | +0.0% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 99.8% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98.2%, 1.0× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 99.8% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 98.4%, 1.0× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 94.7% | 93.2% | 96.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 98.2% | 96.6% | 99.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 99.8% | 99.8% | 99.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More environment data for Iraq
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -38.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.549 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.99 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2 % 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 6.65 % 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 Iraq?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Iraq was 99.8% 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 Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 99.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 93.2% in 2000.
- How does Iraq rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- Iraq ranks 57th 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 Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iraq 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.
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 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.