Annual freshwater withdrawals in China
China: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 568.48 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
568.48 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
2nd
of 181 countries
All-time high
604.02 billion billion cubic meters
in 2016
All-time low
443.70 billion billion cubic meters
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in China, 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
The most recent figure for annual freshwater withdrawals in China is 568.48 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in China peaked at 604.02 billion billion cubic meters in 2016 and was at its lowest, 443.70 billion billion cubic meters, in 1980.
China ranks 2nd of 181 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in China, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 443.70 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 452.08 billion billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 460.46 billion billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 468.85 billion billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 477.23 billion billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 481.06 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 484.85 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 488.64 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 492.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 496.21 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 500.00 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 508.47 billion billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 516.93 billion billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 525.40 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 529.04 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 532.69 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 536.33 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 539.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 543.61 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 547.26 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 550.90 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 551.54 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 552.18 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 552.82 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 553.46 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 554.10 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 568.00 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 568.70 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 576.10 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 583.20 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 586.83 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 595.00 billion billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 598.80 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 602.80 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 593.40 billion billion cubic meters | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 591.80 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 604.02 billion billion cubic meters | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 596.22 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 592.91 billion billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 591.67 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 568.48 billion billion cubic meters | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 568.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 568.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 568.48 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.32 billion billion cubic meters, 171.0× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- China's 568.48 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.27 billion billion cubic meters, 61.3× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 474.55 billion billion cubic meters | 443.70 billion billion cubic meters | 496.21 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 527.97 billion billion cubic meters | 500.00 billion billion cubic meters | 547.26 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 561.10 billion billion cubic meters | 550.90 billion billion cubic meters | 583.20 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 595.35 billion billion cubic meters | 586.83 billion billion cubic meters | 604.02 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 568.48 billion billion cubic meters | 568.48 billion billion cubic meters | 568.48 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % 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 -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9037 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in China?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in China was 568.48 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 China?
- The highest recorded value was 604.02 billion billion cubic meters in 2016.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 443.70 billion billion cubic meters in 1980.
- How does China rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- China ranks 2nd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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
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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.