Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) in South Korea
South Korea: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) was 45.0% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Korea, 1990–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of internal resources.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Korea is 45.0%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Korea peaked at 45.0% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 31.7%, in 1990.
That places South Korea 33rd out of 177 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % of internal resources | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 31.7% | — |
| 1991 | 32.8% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 34.9% | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 36.0% | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 37.1% | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 38.2% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 39.2% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 40.4% | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 41.5% | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 42.7% | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 43.8% | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 45.0% | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 45.0% | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 45.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.6%, 3.9× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 45.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7.4%, 6.0× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 36.6% | 31.7% | 41.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.7% | 42.7% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 45.0% | 45.0% | 45.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.0% | 45.0% | 45.0% | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 30 Moldova 52.2% compare
- 31 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50.8% compare
- 32 South Africa 47.1% compare
- 34 Armenia 44.8% compare
- 35 India 44.8% compare
- 36 Afghanistan 43.0% compare
More climate change data for South Korea
- Share co2 vs population 0.2146 (2100)
- Co2 gdp growth, annual growth rate -49.74 % change on previous year (2025)
- Co2 gdp pop growth, annual growth rate -273.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate -0.1285 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate -0.1214 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.8117 units per person (2025)
- Precipitation anomalies, annual growth rate -78.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population 81.2% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Korea?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in South Korea was 45.0% 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 Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 45.0% in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.7% in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- South Korea ranks 33rd out of 177 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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 (% of internal resources). 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. Data are for the most recent year available for 1987-2002.