Saudi Arabia vs South Africa: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters)
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters) over time
- Saudi Arabia
- South Africa
How they compare
Saudi Arabia currently reports 23.38 billion cubic meters against 21.11 billion cubic meters in South Africa, a difference of 2.27 billion cubic meters.
That makes Saudi Arabia's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 31 years both countries report, Saudi Arabia has been ahead every year.
Saudi Arabia ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 35th of 181 countries.
Saudi Arabia has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.69 billion cubic meters | 12.92 billion cubic meters | 4.77 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 2000s | 21.25 billion cubic meters | 13.69 billion cubic meters | 7.56 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 2010s | 22.3 billion cubic meters | 17.27 billion cubic meters | 5.03 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
| 2020s | 23.38 billion cubic meters | 20.77 billion cubic meters | 2.61 billion cubic meters | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual freshwater withdrawals, total, Saudi Arabia or South Africa?
- Saudi Arabia, at 23.38 billion cubic meters against 21.11 billion cubic meters in South Africa as of 2022.
- What is the difference in annual freshwater withdrawals, total between Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 2.27 billion cubic meters, with Saudi Arabia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and South Africa?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1992 to 2022.
- How do Saudi Arabia and South Africa rank globally for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 35th of 181 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins. Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source. Withdrawals can exceed 100 percent of total renewable resources where extraction from nonrenewable aquifers or desalination plants is considerable or where there is significant water reuse. Withdrawals for agriculture and industry are total withdrawals for irrigation and livestock production and for direct industrial use (including withdrawals for cooling thermoelectric plants). Withdrawals for domestic uses include drinking water, municipal use or supply, and use for public services, commercial establishments, and homes.