Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters) was 8.42 billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom, 1980–2022
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
United Kingdom recorded 8.42 billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals, total in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom peaked at 13.48 billion cubic meters in 1980 and was at its lowest, 7.29 billion cubic meters, in 2014.
United Kingdom ranks 53rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.48 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 13.08 billion cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 12.69 billion cubic meters | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 12.29 billion cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 11.9 billion cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 11.5 billion cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 11.6 billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 11.71 billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 11.81 billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 11.92 billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 12.02 billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 12.03 billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 12.05 billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 12.06 billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 12.08 billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 12.09 billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 12.17 billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 12.25 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 12.33 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 12.41 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 12.48 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 12.56 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 12.64 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 12.72 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 12.8 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 12.88 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 12.96 billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 8.51 billion cubic meters | -34.3% |
| 2008 | 8.35 billion cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 8.28 billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 8.26 billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 7.68 billion cubic meters | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 8.02 billion cubic meters | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 7.65 billion cubic meters | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 7.29 billion cubic meters | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 8.16 billion cubic meters | +12.0% |
| 2016 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.42 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 8.42 billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.7 billion cubic meters, 4.9× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 8.42 billion cubic meters is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion cubic meters, 2.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (billion cubic meters) in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | -34.3% | 12.96 billion cubic meters | 8.51 billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.2 billion cubic meters | 11.5 billion cubic meters | 13.48 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.15 billion cubic meters | 12.02 billion cubic meters | 12.41 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.42 billion cubic meters | 8.28 billion cubic meters | 12.96 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.07 billion cubic meters | 7.29 billion cubic meters | 8.42 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.42 billion cubic meters | 8.42 billion cubic meters | 8.42 billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 50 Nepal 9.5 billion cubic meters compare
- 51 Poland 9.38 billion cubic meters compare
- 52 North Korea 8.66 billion cubic meters compare
- 54 Netherlands 8.23 billion cubic meters compare
- 55 Romania 8.15 billion cubic meters compare
- 56 Kyrgyzstan 7.71 billion cubic meters compare
More climate change data for United Kingdom
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 37,706 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 8,697 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 29,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 32.82 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1,036 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 7,083 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 7,027 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 55.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 26.52 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 2 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom was 8.42 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 13.48 billion cubic meters in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.29 billion cubic meters in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- United Kingdom ranks 53rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 43 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.