Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand

New Zealand: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total was 3.0% in 2022. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2022)
3.0%
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
121st
of 177 countries
All-time high
3.0%
in 2014
All-time low
0.4%
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2022

Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand, 1980–2022

01231980200120221980: 0.367 % of internal resources1981: 0.41 % of internal resources1982: 0.453 % of internal resources1983: 0.495 % of internal resources1984: 0.538 % of internal resources1985: 0.581 % of internal resources1986: 0.608 % of internal resources1987: 0.635 % of internal resources1988: 0.662 % of internal resources1989: 0.689 % of internal resources1990: 0.716 % of internal resources1991: 0.744 % of internal resources1992: 0.771 % of internal resources1993: 0.798 % of internal resources1994: 0.825 % of internal resources1995: 0.852 % of internal resources1996: 0.879 % of internal resources1997: 0.906 % of internal resources1998: 0.933 % of internal resources1999: 0.96 % of internal resources2000: 1 % of internal resources2001: 1.1 % of internal resources2002: 1.2 % of internal resources2003: 1.3 % of internal resources2004: 1.3 % of internal resources2005: 1.4 % of internal resources2006: 1.5 % of internal resources2007: 1.5 % of internal resources2008: 1.5 % of internal resources2009: 1.6 % of internal resources2010: 1.6 % of internal resources2011: 1.9 % of internal resources2012: 2.3 % of internal resources2013: 2.7 % of internal resources2014: 3 % of internal resources2015: 3 % of internal resources2016: 3 % of internal resources2017: 3 % of internal resources2018: 3 % of internal resources2019: 3 % of internal resources2020: 3 % of internal resources2021: 3 % of internal resources2022: 3 % of internal resources

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 New Zealand is 3.0%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.

The figure is up 31.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand peaked at 3.0% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 1980.

New Zealand ranks 121st of 177 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand, year by year

Annual values for Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) in New Zealand, 1980 to 2022.
Year % of internal resources Change
1980 0.4%
1981 0.4% +11.7%
1982 0.5% +10.4%
1983 0.5% +9.5%
1984 0.5% +8.6%
1985 0.6% +8.0%
1986 0.6% +4.7%
1987 0.6% +4.5%
1988 0.7% +4.3%
1989 0.7% +4.1%
1990 0.7% +3.9%
1991 0.7% +3.8%
1992 0.8% +3.6%
1993 0.8% +3.5%
1994 0.8% +3.4%
1995 0.9% +3.3%
1996 0.9% +3.2%
1997 0.9% +3.1%
1998 0.9% +3.0%
1999 1.0% +2.9%
2000 1.0% +8.0%
2001 1.1% +7.4%
2002 1.2% +6.9%
2003 1.3% +6.5%
2004 1.3% +6.1%
2005 1.4% +5.7%
2006 1.5% +5.4%
2007 1.5% +1.5%
2008 1.5% +1.5%
2009 1.6% +1.4%
2010 1.6% +1.4%
2011 1.9% +22.5%
2012 2.3% +18.3%
2013 2.7% +15.5%
2014 3.0% +13.4%
2015 3.0% +0.0%
2016 3.0% +0.0%
2017 3.0% +0.0%
2018 3.0% +0.0%
2019 3.0% +0.0%
2020 3.0% +0.0%
2021 3.0% +0.0%
2022 3.0% +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.5% 0.4% 0.7% 10
1990s 0.8% 0.7% 1.0% 10
2000s 1.4% 1.0% 1.6% 10
2010s 2.7% 1.6% 3.0% 10
2020s 3.0% 3.0% 3.0% 3

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 118 Myanmar 3.3% compare
  2. 119 Costa Rica 3.1% compare
  3. 120 Guatemala 3.0% compare
  4. 122 Albania 3.0% compare
  5. 123 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of 2.8% compare
  6. 124 Finland 2.8% compare

See the full ranking of 223 places →

More climate change data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand?
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand was 3.0% 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 New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 3.0% in 2014.
What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 1980.
How does New Zealand rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
New Zealand ranks 121st out of 177 countries with data for 2022.
Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this New Zealand 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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Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/stat/annual-freshwater-withdrawals-total-percent-of-internal-resources/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources)
Unit
% of internal resources
Source
AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
223 places, 6,630 data points, 1962–2022
Last refreshed

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.