Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa
South Africa: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total was 21.11 billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa, 1990–2022
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
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa stood at 21.11 billion cubic meters. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 38.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa peaked at 21.11 billion cubic meters in 2022 and was at its lowest, 12.73 billion cubic meters, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 35th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 13.29 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 13.21 billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 13.13 billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 13.05 billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 12.97 billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 12.88 billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 12.86 billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 12.84 billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 12.82 billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 12.8 billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 12.73 billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 12.95 billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 13.16 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 13.37 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 13.58 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2005 | 13.8 billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2006 | 14.01 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 14.22 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 14.44 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 14.65 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2010 | 14.86 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 15.07 billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 15.29 billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 14.29 billion cubic meters | -6.5% |
| 2014 | 16.47 billion cubic meters | +15.3% |
| 2015 | 18.66 billion cubic meters | +13.3% |
| 2016 | 19.04 billion cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 19.38 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 19.64 billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 20 billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 20.31 billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 20.89 billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 21.11 billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.98 billion cubic meters | 12.8 billion cubic meters | 13.29 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.69 billion cubic meters | 12.73 billion cubic meters | 14.65 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.27 billion cubic meters | 14.29 billion cubic meters | 20 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.77 billion cubic meters | 20.31 billion cubic meters | 21.11 billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 32 Colombia 24.26 billion cubic meters compare
- 33 Saudi Arabia 23.38 billion cubic meters compare
- 34 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 22.62 billion cubic meters compare
- 36 Afghanistan 20.28 billion cubic meters compare
- 37 Syria 13.96 billion cubic meters compare
- 38 Madagascar 13.46 billion cubic meters compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 13.45 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Africa was 21.11 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 21.11 billion cubic meters in 2022.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.73 billion cubic meters in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- South Africa ranks 35th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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 — 33 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.