Countries With the Fastest Decline in Access to electricity (rural) (5-Year Change)
Change in Access to electricity (rural) 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
Argentina fell the most: by 20.2 pts, from 100% of rural population to 79.8% of rural population in the five years to 2024. Syrian Arab Republic is second (−14.6 pts), followed by Guatemala (−13.1 pts). 16 countries fell over that period; the median change among them was −3.55 pts.
- #1
- Argentina · −20.2 pts
- Median
- −3.55 pts
- Coverage
- 16 countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 100 | 79.8 | −20.2 pts |
| 2 | Syrian Arab Republic | 76.2 | 61.6 | −14.6 pts |
| 3 | Guatemala | 93.5 | 80.4 | −13.1 pts |
| 4 | Afghanistan | 97.1 | 84.6 | −12.5 pts |
| 5 | Chile | 100 | 90.7 | −9.3 pts |
| 6 | Philippines | 93 | 88.5 | −4.5 pts |
| 7 | South Sudan | 5.1 | 0.7 | −4.4 pts |
| 8 | Marshall Islands | 100 | 96.3 | −3.7 pts |
| 9 | Lao PDR | 97.6 | 94.2 | −3.4 pts |
| 10 | Fiji | 94.8 | 92.5 | −2.3 pts |
| 11 | Nigeria | 25.5 | 23.5 | −2 pts |
| 12 | Colombia | 97.1 | 95.2 | −1.9 pts |
| 13 | Ecuador | 97.8 | 95.9 | −1.9 pts |
| 14 | Jamaica | 97.6 | 95.7 | −1.9 pts |
| 15 | Peru | 82.9 | 82.1 | −0.8 pts |
| 16 | Uruguay | 100 | 99.3 | −0.7 pts |
About the top 10
#1 Argentina
Argentina ranks #1 on this list with −20.2 pts.
- Capital
- Buenos Aires
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 45.85 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$683.1 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$14,898 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 77.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 92.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Córdoba.
Also ranks #1 in inflation rate · #2 in access to clean cooking fuels · #2 in deposit interest rate.
#2 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #2 on this list with −14.6 pts.
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#3 Guatemala
Guatemala ranks #3 on this list with −13.1 pts.
- Capital
- Guatemala City
- Continent
- North America
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 18.69 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$123.31 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,598 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 72.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 56.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #5 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #9 in remittances received · #12 in gini index.
#4 Afghanistan
Afghanistan ranks #4 on this list with −12.5 pts.
- Capital
- Kabul
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 43.84 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$17.78 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$416.9 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kabul.
Also ranks #1 in refugee population by origin · #4 in health expenditure share of gdp · #6 in agriculture value added share of gdp.
#5 Chile
Chile ranks #5 on this list with −9.3 pts.
- Capital
- Santiago
- Continent
- South America
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 19.86 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$357.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$17,995 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 81.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 89.2% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Santiago, Santo Domingo.
Also ranks #5 in mineral rents share of gdp · #7 in school enrolment (tertiary) · #10 in fish production.
#6 Philippines
Philippines ranks #6 on this list with −4.5 pts.
- Capital
- Manila
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 116.79 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$487.09 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$4,171 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.9 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.8% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Metro Manila, Quezon City, Manila.
Also ranks #4 in remittances received · #4 in low-birthweight babies share · #7 in annual freshwater withdrawals.
#7 South Sudan
South Sudan ranks #7 on this list with −4.4 pts.
- Capital
- Juba
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 12.19 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 57.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 21.7% of population (2025)
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Official languages
- English
Also ranks #1 in infant mortality rate · #4 in inflation rate · #4 in maternal mortality ratio.
#8 Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands ranks #8 on this list with −3.7 pts.
- Capital
- Majuro
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 36,282 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$308 million (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$8,489 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.1% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in diabetes prevalence · #5 in health expenditure share of gdp · #5 in completion rate (lower secondary).
#9 Lao PDR
Lao PDR ranks #9 on this list with −3.4 pts.
- Capital
- Vientiane
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 7.87 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$18.3 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$2,325 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 69.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 40.3% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in time to start a business (days) · #4 in official exchange rate · #7 in livestock production index.
#10 Fiji
Fiji ranks #10 on this list with −2.3 pts.
- Capital
- Suva
- Continent
- Oceania
- Income group
- Upper middle income
- Population
- 933,150 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$6.2 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$6,642 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 59.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in mobile subscriptions per 100 · #5 in completion rate (primary) · #6 in livestock production index.
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 electricity (rural) 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 EG.ELC.ACCS.RU.ZS. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Access to electricity, rural (% of rural population): SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.