Pakistan
Capital: Islamabad · Lower middle income · Pop. 251.3 million
Source: World Bank Open Data (WHO/UNICEF JMP & FAO AQUASTAT) · drinking water 2024
In Pakistan, 44.97% of the population uses safely managed drinking water — an improved source, located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination (2024 estimate). That leaves roughly 138.3 million people without safely managed drinking water at home.
Pakistan has about 226 cubic meters of renewable internal freshwater per person each year — below the ~1,000 m³ threshold widely used to define water scarcity. It withdraws the equivalent of 326% of those internal resources annually (extreme (over-extraction) water stress), meaning it relies on rivers from outside its borders, desalination, or drawing down stored reserves.
Agriculture accounts for about 94% of Pakistan's water withdrawals, the rest going to households and industry.
Common questions
How many people in Pakistan have safe drinking water?
44.97% of Pakistan's population uses safely managed drinking water (2024), per WHO/UNICEF data; about 138.3 million people do not.
Does Pakistan have enough freshwater?
Pakistan has roughly 226 m³ of renewable internal freshwater per person per year, and uses about 326% of it annually (extreme (over-extraction) stress).