People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: People using at least basic drinking water services, rural was 52.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa, 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
In 2024, people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 52.9%. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 21.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 52.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 30.5%, in 2000.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2024, putting it 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 Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of rural population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 30.5% | — |
| 2001 | 31.2% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 32.1% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 32.9% | +2.6% |
| 2004 | 33.8% | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 34.7% | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 35.6% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 36.5% | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 37.5% | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 39.5% | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 40.4% | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 41.4% | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 42.4% | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 43.4% | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 44.3% | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 45.3% | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 46.3% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 47.2% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 48.2% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 49.1% | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 50.1% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 51.0% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 52.0% | +1.9% |
| 2024 | 52.9% | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.3% | 30.5% | 38.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.8% | 39.5% | 48.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.0% | 49.1% | 52.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 39 Ukraine 99.7% compare
- 40 Cyprus 99.7% compare
- 41 Saudi Arabia 99.6% compare
- 42 Costa Rica 99.6% compare
- 43 Sweden 99.6% compare
- 44 Montenegro 99.5% compare
- 45 Samoa 99.3% compare
More health data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Population ages 0-14, male, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0016 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, female, per capita 0.1997 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, male, annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, annual growth rate 1.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per capita 0.4038 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 0-14, total, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is people using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- People using at least basic drinking water services, rural in Sub-Saharan Africa was 52.9% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 52.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest people using at least basic drinking water services, rural recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 30.5% in 2000.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for people using at least basic drinking water services, rural?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2024.
- Is people using at least basic drinking water services, rural rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa 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.