Annual freshwater withdrawals in Botswana
Botswana: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 213.26 million billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
213.26 million billion cubic meters
Change on year
down 8.7%
World rank
148th
of 181 countries
All-time high
233.62 million billion cubic meters
in 2021
All-time low
90.00 million billion cubic meters
in 1985
Years of data
38
1985–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Botswana, 1985–2022
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 Botswana stood at 213.26 million billion cubic meters.
That represents a change of down 8.7% on the previous year and up 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Botswana peaked at 233.62 million billion cubic meters in 2021 and was at its lowest, 90.00 million billion cubic meters, in 1985.
That places Botswana 148th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Botswana, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 90.00 million billion cubic meters | — |
| 1986 | 93.28 million billion cubic meters | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 96.56 million billion cubic meters | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 99.84 million billion cubic meters | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 103.12 million billion cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 106.40 million billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 109.70 million billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1992 | 113.00 million billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 123.13 million billion cubic meters | +9.0% |
| 1994 | 133.27 million billion cubic meters | +8.2% |
| 1995 | 143.40 million billion cubic meters | +7.6% |
| 1996 | 153.52 million billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 1997 | 163.64 million billion cubic meters | +6.6% |
| 1998 | 173.76 million billion cubic meters | +6.2% |
| 1999 | 183.88 million billion cubic meters | +5.8% |
| 2000 | 194.00 million billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 194.29 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 194.58 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 194.87 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 195.16 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 195.46 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 195.75 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 196.04 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 196.33 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 196.62 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 196.91 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 197.20 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 194.40 million billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 191.15 million billion cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 187.90 million billion cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 187.90 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 201.30 million billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 2017 | 193.00 million billion cubic meters | -4.1% |
| 2018 | 204.00 million billion cubic meters | +5.7% |
| 2019 | 202.00 million billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 220.43 million billion cubic meters | +9.1% |
| 2021 | 233.62 million billion cubic meters | +6.0% |
| 2022 | 213.26 million billion cubic meters | -8.7% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 213.26 million billion cubic meters is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.32 billion billion cubic meters, 6% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 213.26 million billion cubic meters is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 694.65 million billion cubic meters, 31% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 96.56 million billion cubic meters | 90.00 million billion cubic meters | 103.12 million billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1990s | 140.37 million billion cubic meters | 106.40 million billion cubic meters | 183.88 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 195.31 million billion cubic meters | 194.00 million billion cubic meters | 196.62 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 195.58 million billion cubic meters | 187.90 million billion cubic meters | 204.00 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 222.44 million billion cubic meters | 213.26 million billion cubic meters | 233.62 million billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 145 Qatar 250.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 146 Cyprus 223.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 146 Togo 223.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 149 Sierra Leone 212.20 million billion cubic meters compare
- 150 Singapore 199.53 million billion cubic meters compare
- 151 Cape Verde 179.05 million billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Botswana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 6.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 6.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.381 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.443 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -4.05 % 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 0.3323 % 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 Botswana?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Botswana was 213.26 million 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 233.62 million billion cubic meters in 2021.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 90.00 million billion cubic meters in 1985.
- How does Botswana rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Botswana ranks 148th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana 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.
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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.