India vs South Africa: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total

India
44.8%
in 2022
South Africa
47.1%
in 2022
India rank
35th
South Africa rank
32nd

Annual freshwater withdrawals, total over time

  • India
  • South Africa
01020304050197519982022

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 47.1% against 44.8% in India, a difference of 2.3%.

That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times India's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1990 it was India ahead.

India ranks 35th and South Africa ranks 32nd of 177 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, India averaged higher in 3 and South Africa in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade India South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 38.0% 29.0% 9.0% India
2000s 43.8% 30.6% 13.3% India
2010s 44.8% 38.5% 6.2% India
2020s 44.8% 46.4% 1.6% South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher annual freshwater withdrawals, total, India or South Africa?
South Africa, at 47.1% against 44.8% in India as of 2022.
What is the difference in annual freshwater withdrawals, total between India and South Africa?
2.3%, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for India and South Africa?
33 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2022.
How do India and South Africa rank globally for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
India ranks 35th and South Africa ranks 32nd of 177 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 (% of internal resources). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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India vs South Africa: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total. Statizoid, drawing on AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/annual-freshwater-withdrawals-total-percent-of-internal-resources/india/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources)
Unit
% of internal resources
Source
AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
223 places, 6,630 data points, 1962–2022
Last refreshed

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. Data are for the most recent year available for 1987-2002.