Proportion of population using surface water in World

World: Proportion of population using surface water was 1.3 in 2024. β–Ό Falling

Latest (2024)
1.3
Change on year
down 5.4%
Rank
1st
of 3 groups
All-time high
4.01
in 2000
All-time low
1.3
in 2024
Years of data
25
2000–2024

Proportion of population using surface water in World, 2000–2024

12342000201220242000: 42001: 3.92002: 3.82003: 3.72004: 3.62005: 3.52006: 3.42007: 3.32008: 3.12009: 32010: 2.92011: 2.82012: 2.62013: 2.52014: 2.42015: 2.22016: 2.12017: 22018: 1.92019: 1.82020: 1.72021: 1.62022: 1.52023: 1.42024: 1.3

Source: UNICEF.

Analysis

The most recent figure for proportion of population using surface water in World is 1.3, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.

The figure is down 5.4% on the previous year and down 45.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of population using surface water in World peaked at 4.01 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.3, in 2024.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.55 3.01 4.01 10
2010s 2.33 1.78 2.88 10
2020s 1.47 1.3 1.66 5

Countries ranked near World

  1. 1 Sudan 4.58 compare
  2. 2 Yemen 2.03 compare
  3. 3 Algeria 1.81 compare
  4. 4 Iraq 0.7233 compare

See the full ranking of 23 places β†’

More population data for World

All data for World β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of population using surface water in World?
Proportion of population using surface water in World was 1.3 in 2024, according to UNICEF.
What is the highest proportion of population using surface water recorded in World?
The highest recorded value was 4.01 in 2000.
What is the lowest proportion of population using surface water recorded in World?
The lowest recorded value was 1.3 in 2024.
How does World rank for proportion of population using surface water?
World ranks 1st out of 3 groups with data for 2024.
Is proportion of population using surface water rising or falling in World?
Over the last ten years it is down 45.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this World data come from?
The figures come from UNICEF, published as part of Proportion of population using surface water. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of population using surface water in World. Statizoid, drawing on UNICEF. Retrieved 20 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-population-using-surface-water/world/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of population using surface water
Source
UNICEF
Licence
UNICEF Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
23 places, 567 data points, 2000–2024
Last refreshed