Annual freshwater withdrawals in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 5.44 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Bulgaria, 1980–2022
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 Bulgaria stood at 5.44 billion billion cubic meters.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.4% on the previous year and down 4.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Bulgaria peaked at 14.18 billion billion cubic meters in 1980 and was at its lowest, 4.97 billion billion cubic meters, in 2020.
Bulgaria ranks 63rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 14.18 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 14.16 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 14.14 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 14.13 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 14.11 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 14.09 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 13.56 billion billion cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 1987 | 13.03 billion billion cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 1988 | 12.50 billion billion cubic meters | -4.1% |
| 1989 | 11.97 billion billion cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 1990 | 7.62 billion billion cubic meters | -36.3% |
| 1991 | 7.47 billion billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1992 | 7.33 billion billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1993 | 7.18 billion billion cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 7.03 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 6.88 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1996 | 6.73 billion billion cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 6.58 billion billion cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 6.43 billion billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1999 | 6.28 billion billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 6.13 billion billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 5.83 billion billion cubic meters | -4.9% |
| 2002 | 6.59 billion billion cubic meters | +12.9% |
| 2003 | 6.51 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 6.43 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 6.36 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 6.28 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 6.20 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2008 | 6.42 billion billion cubic meters | +3.6% |
| 2009 | 6.12 billion billion cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 2010 | 5.96 billion billion cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2011 | 6.38 billion billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 2012 | 5.71 billion billion cubic meters | -10.5% |
| 2013 | 5.47 billion billion cubic meters | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 5.38 billion billion cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 5.63 billion billion cubic meters | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 5.69 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 5.66 billion billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 5.42 billion billion cubic meters | -4.1% |
| 2019 | 5.42 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 4.97 billion billion cubic meters | -8.4% |
| 2021 | 5.21 billion billion cubic meters | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 5.44 billion billion cubic meters | +4.4% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 5.44 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 3.2× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 5.44 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 1.8× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual freshwater withdrawals in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -36.3% | 11.97 billion billion cubic meters | 7.62 billion billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 13.59 billion billion cubic meters | 11.97 billion billion cubic meters | 14.18 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.95 billion billion cubic meters | 6.28 billion billion cubic meters | 7.62 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.29 billion billion cubic meters | 5.83 billion billion cubic meters | 6.59 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.67 billion billion cubic meters | 5.38 billion billion cubic meters | 6.38 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.21 billion billion cubic meters | 4.97 billion billion cubic meters | 5.44 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 60 Malaysia 6.71 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 61 Portugal 6.13 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 62 Libya 5.72 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 64 Mali 5.19 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 65 Tanzania 5.18 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 66 Serbia 5.09 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Bulgaria
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.573 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -6.02 % 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 -0.7509 % 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 Bulgaria?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Bulgaria was 5.44 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 Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 14.18 billion billion cubic meters in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.97 billion billion cubic meters in 2020.
- How does Bulgaria rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Bulgaria ranks 63rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria 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.