Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total was 3.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2014–2022
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
Sub-Saharan Africa recorded 3.4% for annual freshwater withdrawals, total in 2022. That is the highest value across all 9 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 3.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 3.2%, in 2014.
Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 36th of 46 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | % of internal resources | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 3.2% | — |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 3.3% | +1.2% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.3% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 3.4% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.3% | 3.2% | 3.4% | 6 |
| 2020s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 33 Republic of Korea 45.0% compare
- 34 Armenia 44.8% compare
- 35 India 44.8% compare
- 36 Afghanistan 43.0% compare
- 37 Palestine, State of 41.2% compare
- 38 Eswatini 40.5% compare
- 39 North Macedonia 40.2% compare
More climate change data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that) 6.71 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Indirect emissions (N2O that leaches) 15.1 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 67.1 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 88.91 kt (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers 4.27 billion kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 427.00 million kg (2050)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Nitrogen fertilizer content applied 1.28 billion kg (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 137.43 kt (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 3.56 kt (2050)
- All Crops — Burning crop residues 50.90 million t (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, total in Sub-Saharan Africa was 3.4% 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 Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.2% in 2014.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 36th out of 46 groups with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals, total rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan 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 (% of internal resources). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 9 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.