What is the difference in industrial water withdrawal between France and Germany?

2.95 billion cubic meters, with France ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for France and Germany?

33 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2023.

Where does this data come from?

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Industrial water withdrawal. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

France vs Germany: Industrial water withdrawal

France

15.29 billion cubic meters

in 2023

Germany

12.34 billion cubic meters

in 2023

France rank

6th

Germany rank

8th

Industrial water withdrawal over time

France
Germany

How they compare

France currently reports 15.29 billion cubic meters against 12.34 billion cubic meters in Germany, a difference of 2.95 billion cubic meters.

That makes France's figure about 1.2 times Germany's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 33 shared years of data; in 1991 it was Germany ahead.

France ranks 6th and Germany ranks 8th of 180 countries.

Across the 4 decades both report, France averaged higher in 1 and Germany in 3.

Head to head by decade

Decade	France	Germany	Difference	Ahead
1990s	24.35 billion cubic meters	36.47 billion cubic meters	12.13 billion cubic meters	Germany
2000s	21.97 billion cubic meters	29.82 billion cubic meters	7.85 billion cubic meters	Germany
2010s	19.29 billion cubic meters	19.59 billion cubic meters	303.62 million cubic meters	Germany
2020s	15.81 billion cubic meters	13.28 billion cubic meters	2.53 billion cubic meters	France

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher industrial water withdrawal, France or Germany?: France, at 15.29 billion cubic meters against 12.34 billion cubic meters in Germany as of 2023.
What is the difference in industrial water withdrawal between France and Germany?: 2.95 billion cubic meters, with France ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for France and Germany?: 33 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2023.
How do France and Germany rank globally for industrial water withdrawal?: France ranks 6th and Germany ranks 8th of 180 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Industrial water withdrawal. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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France vs Germany: Industrial water withdrawal. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/industrial-water-withdrawal/france/germany/

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About this data

Indicator: Industrial water withdrawal
Unit: cubic meters
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 180 places, 6,170 data points, 1965–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Water withdrawn each year by self-supplied industries.