Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Malawi
Malawi: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 86.0% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Malawi, 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 at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Malawi is 86.0%, measured 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 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Malawi peaked at 86.0% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 85.8%, in 2022.
Malawi ranks 166th of 188 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 85.8% | — |
| 2001 | 85.8% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 85.8% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 85.8% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2020 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2021 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 86.0% is above the median for low income countries, which is 86.0%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 86.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 87.8%, 98% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 85.8% | 85.8% | 85.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.8% | 85.8% | 85.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 85.9% | 85.8% | 86.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % 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 5.3 % 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 Malawi?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Malawi was 86.0% 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 86.0% in 2024.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 85.8% in 2022.
- How does Malawi rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- Malawi ranks 166th 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 Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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.