Annual freshwater withdrawals in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 10.55 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Ethiopia, 2002–2022
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 Ethiopia is 10.55 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Ethiopia peaked at 10.55 billion billion cubic meters in 2016 and was at its lowest, 5.56 billion billion cubic meters, in 2002.
That places Ethiopia 45th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 5.56 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 2003 | 6.33 billion billion cubic meters | +13.8% |
| 2004 | 7.09 billion billion cubic meters | +12.1% |
| 2005 | 7.86 billion billion cubic meters | +10.8% |
| 2006 | 8.11 billion billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 2007 | 8.35 billion billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 8.59 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 8.84 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 9.08 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 9.33 billion billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 9.57 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 9.82 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 10.06 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 10.30 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 10.55 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for low income countries, which is 879.60 million billion cubic meters, 12.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 10.55 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 694.65 million billion cubic meters, 15.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.59 billion billion cubic meters | 5.56 billion billion cubic meters | 8.84 billion billion cubic meters | 8 |
| 2010s | 10.04 billion billion cubic meters | 9.08 billion billion cubic meters | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
- 42 Australia 11.62 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 43 Tajikistan 10.60 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 44 Morocco 10.57 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 46 Algeria 10.29 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 47 Greece 10.05 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 48 Ecuador 9.92 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Ethiopia
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.272 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.39 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 2.83 % 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 0.1478 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Ethiopia?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Ethiopia was 10.55 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 Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.55 billion billion cubic meters in 2016.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.56 billion billion cubic meters in 2002.
- How does Ethiopia rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Ethiopia ranks 45th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ethiopia 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 — 21 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.