Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) was 5.8% 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 % of internal resources.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual freshwater withdrawals, total in United Kingdom is 5.8%, measured 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 9.3% in 1980 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2014.
United Kingdom ranks 102nd of 177 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 (% of internal resources) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % of internal resources | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.3% | — |
| 1981 | 9.0% | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 8.8% | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 8.5% | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 8.2% | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 7.9% | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 8.0% | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 8.1% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 8.1% | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 8.2% | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 8.3% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 8.3% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 8.4% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 8.4% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 8.5% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 8.6% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 8.6% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 8.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 8.8% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 8.9% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 8.9% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 5.9% | -34.3% |
| 2008 | 5.8% | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 5.7% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 5.3% | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 5.5% | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 5.3% | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 5.0% | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | +12.0% |
| 2016 | 5.8% | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 5.8% | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 5.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 11.6%, 50% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 5.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15.6%, 37% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual freshwater withdrawals, total (% of internal resources) 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% | 8.9% | 5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.4% | 7.9% | 9.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.4% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.9% | 5.7% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.6% | 5.0% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
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 5.8% 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 9.3% in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals, total recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for annual freshwater withdrawals, total?
- United Kingdom ranks 102nd out of 177 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 (% of internal resources). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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. Data are for the most recent year available for 1987-2002.