Sierra Leone vs South Africa: Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals

Sierra Leone
26.2%
in 2022
South Africa
23.2%
in 2022
Sierra Leone rank
45th
South Africa rank
48th

Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals over time

  • Sierra Leone
  • South Africa
510152025198720042022

How they compare

Sierra Leone currently reports 26.2% against 23.2% in South Africa, a difference of 3.0%.

That makes Sierra Leone's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 33 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.

Sierra Leone ranks 45th and South Africa ranks 48th of 179 countries.

Sierra Leone has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Sierra Leone South Africa Difference Ahead
1990s 21.3% 9.2% 12.1% Sierra Leone
2000s 25.9% 9.1% 16.8% Sierra Leone
2010s 26.2% 16.0% 10.1% Sierra Leone
2020s 26.2% 21.9% 4.2% Sierra Leone

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals, Sierra Leone or South Africa?
Sierra Leone, at 26.2% against 23.2% in South Africa as of 2022.
What is the difference in industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals between Sierra Leone and South Africa?
3.0%, with Sierra Leone ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Sierra Leone and South Africa?
33 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2022.
How do Sierra Leone and South Africa rank globally for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals?
Sierra Leone ranks 45th 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.

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Sierra Leone vs South Africa: Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid, drawing on AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 10 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/industrial-water-as-a-share-of-total-water-withdrawals/sierra-leone/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals
Unit
% of total freshwater withdrawal
Source
AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
179 places, 5,690 data points, 1965–2022
Last refreshed

Industrial water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry, and municipal purposes).