Countries With the Fastest Decline in Access to clean water (5-Year Change)
Change in Access to clean water over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Tunisia fell the most: by 6.88 pts, from 71.9% of population (safely managed) to 65% of population (safely managed) in the five years to 2024. Guam is second (−4.46 pts), followed by Algeria (−3.19 pts). 35 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −0.409 pts.
- #1
- Tunisia · −6.88 pts
- Median
- −0.409 pts
- Coverage
- 35 countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tunisia | 71.9 | 65 | −6.88 pts |
| 2 | Guam | 98.5 | 94 | −4.46 pts |
| 3 | Algeria | 72.2 | 69 | −3.19 pts |
| 4 | Botswana | 66.4 | 63.3 | −3.07 pts |
| 5 | Nepal | 19.3 | 16.5 | −2.81 pts |
| 6 | Poland | 91.3 | 88.7 | −2.61 pts |
| 7 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 88.7 | 86.4 | −2.34 pts |
| 8 | Côte d'Ivoire | 38.4 | 36.4 | −1.99 pts |
| 9 | South Africa | 69.7 | 68 | −1.72 pts |
| 10 | Peru | 51 | 49.4 | −1.59 pts |
| 11 | Kyrgyz Republic | 75 | 73.9 | −1.1 pts |
| 12 | Greece | 97.7 | 96.7 | −0.979 pts |
| 13 | Sri Lanka | 47.9 | 46.9 | −0.943 pts |
| 14 | Zimbabwe | 26.4 | 25.5 | −0.928 pts |
| 15 | Puerto Rico (US) | 99.9 | 98.9 | −0.911 pts |
| 16 | Qatar | 95.9 | 95.3 | −0.604 pts |
| 17 | Canada | 97.4 | 96.9 | −0.464 pts |
| 18 | Ukraine | 88.3 | 87.9 | −0.409 pts |
| 19 | Bulgaria | 96.6 | 96.2 | −0.408 pts |
| 20 | Guatemala | 49.2 | 48.8 | −0.401 pts |
| 21 | Armenia | 82.4 | 82.1 | −0.355 pts |
| 22 | Norway | 99.2 | 99.1 | −0.14 pts |
| 23 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 47.1 | 47.1 | −0.098 pts |
| 24 | Spain | 99.5 | 99.5 | −0.079 pts |
| 25 | Belgium | 99.6 | 99.5 | −0.069 pts |
| 26 | Central African Republic | 6.28 | 6.22 | −0.066 pts |
| 27 | Israel | 99.5 | 99.5 | −0.065 pts |
| 28 | Malta | 99.9 | 99.8 | −0.055 pts |
| 29 | United Kingdom | 99.9 | 99.8 | −0.045 pts |
| 30 | St. Martin (French part) | 96.6 | 96.6 | −0.023 pts |
| 31 | Costa Rica | 80.5 | 80.5 | −0.021 pts |
| 32 | Austria | 98.9 | 98.9 | −0.011 pts |
| 33 | Netherlands | 100 | 100 | −0.007 pts |
| 34 | Czechia | 98.1 | 98.1 | −0.004 pts |
| 35 | Bahrain | 98.9 | 98.9 | −0.002 pts |
About the top 10
#1 Tunisia
Tunisia ranks #1 on this list with −6.88 pts.
- Capital
- Tunis
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 12.35 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$57.5 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,657 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 70.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #9 in youth unemployment rate · #9 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #16 in unemployment rate.
#2 Guam
Guam ranks #2 on this list with −4.46 pts.
- Capital
- Hagåtña
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 169,000 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.91 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$41,833 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 77.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 94.2% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in voice and accountability score · #16 in nurses and midwives per 1,000 · #16 in diabetes prevalence.
#3 Algeria
Algeria ranks #3 on this list with −3.19 pts.
- Capital
- Algiers
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 47.44 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$287.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,051 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 75.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Algiers.
Also ranks #1 in gross capital formation rate · #5 in education expenditure share of gdp · #10 in land area.
#4 Botswana
Botswana ranks #4 on this list with −3.07 pts.
- Capital
- Gaborone
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 2.56 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$19.93 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$7,778 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 68% of population (2025)
Also ranks #4 in unemployment rate · #4 in hiv prevalence · #5 in youth unemployment rate.
#5 Nepal
Nepal ranks #5 on this list with −2.81 pts.
- Capital
- Kathmandu
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 29.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$45.49 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,536 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 70.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 67% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in school enrolment (primary) · #6 in low-birthweight babies share · #7 in gross savings rate.
#6 Poland
Poland ranks #6 on this list with −2.61 pts.
- Capital
- Warsaw
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 36.44 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.04 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$28,420 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 60.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Katowice urban area, Warsaw, Kraków.
Also ranks #2 in tourism arrivals · #7 in alcohol consumption per capita · #10 in rail lines (total km).
#7 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ranks #7 on this list with −2.34 pts.
- Capital
- Sarajevo
- Continent
- Europe
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 3.14 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$32.6 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$10,382 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 78 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 52.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #6 in time to start a business (days) · #7 in death rate · #11 in smoking prevalence.
#8 Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire ranks #8 on this list with −1.99 pts.
- Capital
- Yamoussoukro
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 32.71 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$99.77 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,050 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 54.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Abidjan.
Also ranks #5 in agricultural land share · #9 in livestock production index · #10 in mobile subscriptions per 100.
#9 South Africa
South Africa ranks #9 on this list with −1.72 pts.
- Capital
- Pretoria, Cape Town
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 64.75 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$427.18 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 63.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Also ranks #2 in unemployment rate · #2 in youth unemployment rate · #2 in income share of richest 10%.
#10 Peru
Peru ranks #10 on this list with −1.59 pts.
- Capital
- Lima
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 34.58 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$334.85 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$9,684 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 85.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Lima, Arequipa.
Also ranks #5 in fish production · #6 in firms using banks to finance investment share · #7 in atms per 100,000 adults.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Access to clean water over the five years to each country's latest year, in points (a share or rate is not shown as a % of itself). Only countries that fell are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SH.H2O.SMDW.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: People using safely managed drinking water services (% of population): WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, World Health Organization (WHO).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.