China vs France: Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals
China
20.1%
in 2022
France
21.6%
in 2022
China rank
91st
France rank
88th
Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals over time
- China
- France
How they compare
France currently reports 21.6% against 20.1% in China, a difference of 1.5%.
That makes France's figure about 1.1 times China's.
Across all 38 years both countries report, France has been ahead every year.
China ranks 91st and France ranks 88th of 180 countries.
France has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | France | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 6.5% | 16.5% | 10.0% | France |
| 1990s | 7.0% | 17.2% | 10.2% | France |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 18.1% | 6.4% | France |
| 2010s | 14.5% | 19.5% | 4.9% | France |
| 2020s | 20.1% | 21.6% | 1.5% | France |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals, China or France?
- France, at 21.6% against 20.1% in China as of 2022.
- What is the difference in municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals between China and France?
- 1.5%, with France ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and France?
- 38 years are reported by both, from 1985 to 2022.
- How do China and France rank globally for municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- China ranks 91st and France ranks 88th of 180 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 Municipal 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
Municipal (domestic) water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry, and municipal purposes).