Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total was 8.42 billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 13.48 billion cubic meters in 1980 and was at its lowest, 7.29 billion cubic meters, in 2014.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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% |
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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 50 Nepal 9.5 billion cubic meters compare
- 51 Poland 9.38 billion cubic meters compare
- 52 Korea, Democratic People's Republic of 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Share co2 vs population 0.7299 (2100)
- Urban population 83.3% (2025)
- Urban population 57.90 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Population, total 69.49 million (2025)
- Population growth 0.3% (2025)
- Annual Net Emissions/Removals 370.74 (2024)
- Temperature change with respect to a baseline climatology 1.49 (2024)
- Per capita CO₂ emissions vs. per capita energy use 4.53 tonnes per person (2024)
- Share global cumulative co2 including land 2.9 (2024)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 13.48 billion cubic meters in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.29 billion cubic meters in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 53rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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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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.