North Korea vs South Africa: Water withdrawals per capita
North Korea
327.72 cubic meters per person
in 2023
South Africa
330.15 cubic meters per person
in 2023
North Korea rank
80th
South Africa rank
79th
Water withdrawals per capita over time
- North Korea
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 330.15 cubic meters per person against 327.72 cubic meters per person in North Korea, a difference of 2.43 cubic meters per person.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2000 it was North Korea ahead.
North Korea ranks 80th and South Africa ranks 79th of 180 countries.
North Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 355.12 cubic meters per person | 278.32 cubic meters per person | 76.81 cubic meters per person | North Korea |
| 2010s | 339.4 cubic meters per person | 309.76 cubic meters per person | 29.64 cubic meters per person | North Korea |
| 2020s | 329.46 cubic meters per person | 320.37 cubic meters per person | 9.09 cubic meters per person | North Korea |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher water withdrawals per capita, North Korea or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 330.15 cubic meters per person against 327.72 cubic meters per person in North Korea as of 2023.
- What is the difference in water withdrawals per capita between North Korea and South Africa?
- 2.43 cubic meters per person, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and South Africa?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2000 to 2023.
- How do North Korea and South Africa rank globally for water withdrawals per capita?
- North Korea ranks 80th and South Africa ranks 79th of 180 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Water withdrawals per capita. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.