Drinking Water and Sanitation Around the World

Updated April 8, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

About 42% of the world's population, or 2.6 billion people, live in families with no proper means of sanitation, and 1.1 billion do not have access to safe drinking water. Lack of water supply and sanitation services kills about 4,500 children a day.

Drinking Water: Percentage with
Access to Safe Drinking Water

Region 1990 2004
World 78% 83%
Developed countries 100 99
Eurasia 92 93
Developing countries 71 80
 Northern Africa 89 91
 Sub-Saharan Africa 49 56
 Latin America and
  the Caribbean		 83 91
 Eastern Asia 71 78
 South Asia 72 85
 Southeastern Asia 76 82
 Western Asia 85 91
 Oceania 51 50

Sanitation: Percentage with
Access to Basic Sanitation

Region 1990 2004
World 49% 59%
Developed countries 100 99
Eurasia 84 83
Developing countries 35 50
 Northern Africa 65 77
 Sub-Saharan Africa 32 37
 Latin America and
  the Caribbean		 68 77
 Eastern Asia 24 45
 South Asia 20 38
 Southeastern Asia 49 67
 Western Asia 81 84
 Oceania 54 53

Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation.

 

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