People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries

Least developed countries: People using at least basic drinking water services, rural was 60.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
60.8%
Change on year
up 1.5%
Rank
38th
of 45 groups
All-time high
60.8%
in 2024
All-time low
42.3%
in 2000
Years of data
25
2000–2024

People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries, 2000–2024

02040602000201220242000: 42.3 % of rural population2001: 42.8 % of rural population2002: 43.4 % of rural population2003: 44 % of rural population2004: 44.6 % of rural population2005: 45.3 % of rural population2006: 46 % of rural population2007: 46.7 % of rural population2008: 47.4 % of rural population2009: 48.2 % of rural population2010: 48.9 % of rural population2011: 49.6 % of rural population2012: 50.4 % of rural population2013: 51.2 % of rural population2014: 52 % of rural population2015: 52.9 % of rural population2016: 53.7 % of rural population2017: 54.7 % of rural population2018: 55.5 % of rural population2019: 56.4 % of rural population2020: 57.3 % of rural population2021: 58.2 % of rural population2022: 59.1 % of rural population2023: 59.9 % of rural population2024: 60.8 % of rural population

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Measured in % of rural population.

Analysis

The most recent figure for people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries is 60.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.

That represents a change of up 1.5% on the previous year and up 16.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries peaked at 60.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 42.3%, in 2000.

Least developed countries ranks 38th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.

People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries, year by year

Annual values for People using at least basic drinking water services, rural (% of rural population) in Least developed countries, 2000 to 2024.
Year % of rural population Change
2000 42.3%
2001 42.8% +1.3%
2002 43.4% +1.4%
2003 44.0% +1.4%
2004 44.6% +1.4%
2005 45.3% +1.5%
2006 46.0% +1.5%
2007 46.7% +1.5%
2008 47.4% +1.6%
2009 48.2% +1.6%
2010 48.9% +1.6%
2011 49.6% +1.3%
2012 50.4% +1.6%
2013 51.2% +1.6%
2014 52.0% +1.6%
2015 52.9% +1.6%
2016 53.7% +1.6%
2017 54.7% +1.8%
2018 55.5% +1.6%
2019 56.4% +1.6%
2020 57.3% +1.6%
2021 58.2% +1.6%
2022 59.1% +1.4%
2023 59.9% +1.4%
2024 60.8% +1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 45.1% 42.3% 48.2% 10
2010s 52.5% 48.9% 56.4% 10
2020s 59.1% 57.3% 60.8% 5

Countries ranked near Least developed countries

  1. 35 Belarus 99.9% compare
  2. 36 Mauritius 99.9% compare
  3. 37 Croatia 99.9% compare
  4. 38 Lithuania 99.7% compare
  5. 39 Ukraine 99.7% compare
  6. 40 Cyprus 99.7% compare
  7. 41 Saudi Arabia 99.6% compare

See the full ranking of 221 places →

More health data for Least developed countries

All data for Least developed countries →

Frequently asked questions

What is people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries?
People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries was 60.8% 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 Least developed countries?
The highest recorded value was 60.8% in 2024.
What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services, rural recorded in Least developed countries?
The lowest recorded value was 42.3% in 2000.
How does Least developed countries rank for people using at least basic drinking water services, rural?
Least developed countries ranks 38th out of 45 groups with data for 2024.
Is people using at least basic drinking water services, rural rising or falling in Least developed countries?
Over the last ten years it is up 16.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Least developed countries 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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People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Least developed countries. Statizoid, drawing on WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/people-using-at-least-basic-drinking-water-services-rural-percent-of-rural-population/least-developed-countries-un-classification/

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About this data

Indicator
People using at least basic drinking water services, rural (% of rural population)
Unit
% of rural population
Source
WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
221 places, 5,412 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed

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.