New Zealand vs United States: Water withdrawals per capita
New Zealand
960.21 cubic meters per person
in 2023
United States
1,294 cubic meters per person
in 2023
New Zealand rank
17th
United States rank
6th
Water withdrawals per capita over time
- New Zealand
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 1,294 cubic meters per person against 960.21 cubic meters per person in New Zealand, a difference of 333.79 cubic meters per person.
That makes United States's figure about 1.3 times New Zealand's.
Across all 44 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
New Zealand ranks 17th and United States ranks 6th of 180 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | New Zealand | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 546.11 cubic meters per person | 2,233 cubic meters per person | 1,687 cubic meters per person | United States |
| 1990s | 750.9 cubic meters per person | 2,066 cubic meters per person | 1,315 cubic meters per person | United States |
| 2000s | 989.33 cubic meters per person | 1,862 cubic meters per person | 872.24 cubic meters per person | United States |
| 2010s | 1,082 cubic meters per person | 1,407 cubic meters per person | 325.4 cubic meters per person | United States |
| 2020s | 966.76 cubic meters per person | 1,302 cubic meters per person | 335.59 cubic meters per person | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher water withdrawals per capita, New Zealand or United States?
- United States, at 1,294 cubic meters per person against 960.21 cubic meters per person in New Zealand as of 2023.
- What is the difference in water withdrawals per capita between New Zealand and United States?
- 333.79 cubic meters per person, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for New Zealand and United States?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do New Zealand and United States rank globally for water withdrawals per capita?
- New Zealand ranks 17th and United States ranks 6th of 180 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) β 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.