Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total was 23.38 billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Saudi Arabia, 1992–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 23.38 billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals, total in 2022. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Saudi Arabia peaked at 23.38 billion cubic meters in 2018 and was at its lowest, 16.12 billion cubic meters, in 1992.
Saudi Arabia ranks 33rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 16.12 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1993 | 16.57 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 17.01 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 17.47 billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 17.91 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 18.37 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 18.81 billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 19.24 billion cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 19.67 billion cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 19.98 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 20.35 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 20.6 billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 20.88 billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 21.48 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 22.64 billion cubic meters | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 22.47 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 22.29 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 22.12 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 21.95 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 21.78 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 21.6 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 21.46 billion cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 21.47 billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 22.77 billion cubic meters | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 22.31 billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 22.94 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 23.38 billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 23.38 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 23.38 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 23.38 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 23.38 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.69 billion cubic meters | 16.12 billion cubic meters | 19.24 billion cubic meters | 8 |
| 2000s | 21.25 billion cubic meters | 19.67 billion cubic meters | 22.64 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.3 billion cubic meters | 21.46 billion cubic meters | 23.38 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.38 billion cubic meters | 23.38 billion cubic meters | 23.38 billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 30 Kazakhstan 24.97 billion cubic meters compare
- 31 France 24.43 billion cubic meters compare
- 32 Colombia 24.26 billion cubic meters compare
- 34 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 22.62 billion cubic meters compare
- 35 South Africa 21.11 billion cubic meters compare
- 36 Afghanistan 20.28 billion cubic meters compare
More climate change data for Saudi Arabia
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,043 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,830 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,213 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,002 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.78 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.5376 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Saudi Arabia?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Saudi Arabia was 23.38 billion cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.38 billion cubic meters in 2018.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.12 billion cubic meters in 1992.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 33rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.