Iraq vs South Africa: Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals
Iraq
15.9%
in 2022
South Africa
17.4%
in 2022
Iraq rank
102nd
South Africa rank
99th
Municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals over time
- Iraq
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 17.4% against 15.9% in Iraq, a difference of 1.5%.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Iraq's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 33 shared years of data; in 1990 it was South Africa ahead.
Iraq ranks 102nd and South Africa ranks 99th of 180 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iraq | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.8% | 23.2% | 18.4% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 29.2% | 23.4% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 4.4% | 22.4% | 18.0% | South Africa |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 17.0% | 0.1% | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals, Iraq or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 17.4% against 15.9% in Iraq as of 2022.
- What is the difference in municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals between Iraq and South Africa?
- 1.5%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and South Africa?
- 33 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2022.
- How do Iraq and South Africa rank globally for municipal water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- Iraq ranks 102nd and South Africa ranks 99th 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).