Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas was 97.6% in 2024. ▬ Flat
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka is 97.6%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Sri Lanka peaked at 97.6% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 95.9%, in 2000.
That places Sri Lanka 107th out of 188 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 95.9% | — |
| 2001 | 95.9% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 96.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 96.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 96.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 96.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 96.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 96.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 96.5% | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 96.6% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 96.7% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 96.8% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 96.9% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 97.0% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 97.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 97.1% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 97.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 97.3% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 97.4% | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 97.5% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 97.6% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 97.6% | +0.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 97.6% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 98.2%, 99% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 97.6% is below the median for South Asia, which is 98.2%, 99% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 96.2% | 95.9% | 96.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 96.9% | 96.6% | 97.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 97.5% | 97.4% | 97.6% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 104 South Africa 97.8% compare
- 105 Ecuador 97.8% compare
- 106 East Timor 97.7% compare
- 108 Saint Lucia 97.5% compare
- 109 Anguilla 97.5% compare
- 110 China 97.3% compare
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 5.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 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 Sri Lanka?
- Using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas in Sri Lanka was 97.6% 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 97.6% in 2023.
- What is the lowest using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 95.9% in 2000.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for using at least basic drinking water sources in urban vs. rural areas?
- Sri Lanka ranks 107th 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 Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.