New Zealand vs South Africa: Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals
New Zealand
24.0%
in 2022
South Africa
23.2%
in 2022
New Zealand rank
46th
South Africa rank
48th
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals over time
- New Zealand
- South Africa
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 24.0% against 23.2% in South Africa, a difference of 0.8%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.
New Zealand ranks 46th and South Africa ranks 48th of 179 countries.
New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.0% | 9.2% | 0.8% | New Zealand |
| 2000s | 16.6% | 9.1% | 7.6% | New Zealand |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 16.0% | 7.8% | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 23.9% | 21.9% | 2.0% | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals, New Zealand or South Africa?
- New Zealand, at 24.0% against 23.2% in South Africa as of 2022.
- What is the difference in industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals between New Zealand and South Africa?
- 0.8%, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and South Africa?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2022.
- How do New Zealand and South Africa rank globally for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- New Zealand ranks 46th and South Africa ranks 48th of 179 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Industrial water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry, and municipal purposes).