Annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan
Afghanistan: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 20.28 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
20.28 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
36th
of 181 countries
All-time high
26.11 billion billion cubic meters
in 1987
All-time low
10.70 billion billion cubic meters
in 1975
Years of data
48
1975–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan, 1975–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan stood at 20.28 billion billion cubic meters.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan peaked at 26.11 billion billion cubic meters in 1987 and was at its lowest, 10.70 billion billion cubic meters, in 1975.
That places Afghanistan 36th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 10.70 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 11.98 billion billion cubic meters | +12.0% |
| 1977 | 13.27 billion billion cubic meters | +10.7% |
| 1978 | 14.55 billion billion cubic meters | +9.7% |
| 1979 | 15.84 billion billion cubic meters | +8.8% |
| 1980 | 17.12 billion billion cubic meters | +8.1% |
| 1981 | 18.41 billion billion cubic meters | +7.5% |
| 1982 | 19.69 billion billion cubic meters | +7.0% |
| 1983 | 20.97 billion billion cubic meters | +6.5% |
| 1984 | 22.26 billion billion cubic meters | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 23.54 billion billion cubic meters | +5.8% |
| 1986 | 24.83 billion billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 1987 | 26.11 billion billion cubic meters | +5.2% |
| 1988 | 25.58 billion billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1989 | 25.05 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1990 | 24.52 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 23.99 billion billion cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1992 | 23.46 billion billion cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 22.93 billion billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 22.40 billion billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 21.87 billion billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 21.34 billion billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1997 | 20.81 billion billion cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1999 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Afghanistan compared with similar countries
- Afghanistan's 20.28 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for low income countries, which is 879.60 million billion cubic meters, 23.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Afghanistan's 20.28 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.56 billion billion cubic meters, 5.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.27 billion billion cubic meters | 10.70 billion billion cubic meters | 15.84 billion billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 22.36 billion billion cubic meters | 17.12 billion billion cubic meters | 26.11 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.19 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 24.52 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 20.28 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Afghanistan
- 33 Saudi Arabia 23.38 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 34 Venezuela 22.62 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 35 South Africa 21.11 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 37 Syria 13.96 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 38 Madagascar 13.46 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 39 Azerbaijan 13.03 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Afghanistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -19.95 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -17.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.547 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.96 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.85 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.7636 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Afghanistan was 20.28 billion billion cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Afghanistan?
- The highest recorded value was 26.11 billion billion cubic meters in 1987.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Afghanistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.70 billion billion cubic meters in 1975.
- How does Afghanistan rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Afghanistan ranks 36th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Afghanistan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Afghanistan data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Annual freshwater withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual freshwater withdrawals refer to total water withdrawals, not counting evaporation losses from storage basins, measured in cubic meters (m³) per year. Total water withdrawals are the sum of withdrawals for agriculture, industry and municipal (domestic uses). Withdrawals also include water from desalination plants in countries where they are a significant source.