People using at least basic drinking water services, rural (%) in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: People using at least basic drinking water services, rural (%) was 13.8% in 2024. ▼ Falling
People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Democratic Republic of Congo, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 13.8% for people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 15.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 19.6% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 13.8%, in 2022.
Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 174th of 174 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
People using at least basic drinking water services, rural (%) in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 19.6% | — |
| 2001 | 19.4% | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 19.2% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 19.0% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 18.8% | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 18.6% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 18.4% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 18.2% | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 17.9% | -1.3% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 17.4% | -1.4% |
| 2011 | 17.2% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 16.6% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 16.4% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 16.1% | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 15.8% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 15.5% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 15.2% | -2.0% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 14.5% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 14.2% | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 13.8% | -2.4% |
| 2023 | 13.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 13.8% | +0.0% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 13.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 56.6%, 24% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 13.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 58.5%, 24% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 18.7% | 17.7% | 19.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.2% | 14.8% | 17.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 14.0% | 13.8% | 14.5% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 171 Equatorial Guinea 30.8% compare
- 172 Eritrea 27.8% compare
- 173 Central African Republic 27.4% compare
More health data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.56 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.03 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 133,650 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 390 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 2.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0895 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 2.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0905 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Democratic Republic of Congo was 13.8% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
- What is the highest people using at least basic drinking water services, rural recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 19.6% in 2000.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services, rural recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.8% in 2022.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for people using at least basic drinking water services, rural?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 174th out of 174 countries with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic drinking water services, rural rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO), published as part of People using at least basic drinking water services, rural (% of rural population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The percentage of people using at least basic water services. This indicator encompasses both people using basic water services as well as those using safely managed water services. Basic drinking water services is defined as drinking water from an improved source, provided collection time is not more than 30 minutes for a round trip. Improved water sources include piped water, boreholes or tubewells, protected dug wells, protected springs, and packaged or delivered water.