Annual freshwater withdrawals in France
France: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 24.43 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
24.43 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
31st
of 181 countries
All-time high
39.22 billion billion cubic meters
in 1992
All-time low
24.43 billion billion cubic meters
in 2021
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in France, 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 France is 24.43 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is down 13.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in France peaked at 39.22 billion billion cubic meters in 1992 and was at its lowest, 24.43 billion billion cubic meters, in 2021.
That places France 31st out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in France, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 30.96 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 31.75 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1982 | 32.53 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 33.32 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 34.10 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 34.88 billion billion cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 35.44 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 36.00 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 36.56 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 37.12 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 37.68 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 38.45 billion billion cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 39.22 billion billion cubic meters | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 37.44 billion billion cubic meters | -4.5% |
| 1994 | 35.66 billion billion cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 1995 | 33.89 billion billion cubic meters | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 32.11 billion billion cubic meters | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 30.33 billion billion cubic meters | -5.5% |
| 1998 | 31.12 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 31.91 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 32.70 billion billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2001 | 32.53 billion billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 32.35 billion billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 32.72 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 33.08 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 33.45 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 32.22 billion billion cubic meters | -3.7% |
| 2007 | 30.99 billion billion cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 28.66 billion billion cubic meters | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 28.47 billion billion cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 28.58 billion billion cubic meters | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 30.15 billion billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 2012 | 28.06 billion billion cubic meters | -6.9% |
| 2013 | 27.16 billion billion cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 27.30 billion billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 28.12 billion billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 26.44 billion billion cubic meters | -6.0% |
| 2017 | 26.95 billion billion cubic meters | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 26.92 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 26.21 billion billion cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2020 | 24.67 billion billion cubic meters | -5.9% |
| 2021 | 24.43 billion billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 24.43 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 24.43 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 14.3× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- France's 24.43 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 8.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 34.27 billion billion cubic meters | 30.96 billion billion cubic meters | 37.12 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.78 billion billion cubic meters | 30.33 billion billion cubic meters | 39.22 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 31.72 billion billion cubic meters | 28.47 billion billion cubic meters | 33.45 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 27.59 billion billion cubic meters | 26.21 billion billion cubic meters | 30.15 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.51 billion billion cubic meters | 24.43 billion billion cubic meters | 24.67 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near France
- 28 Peru 25.92 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 29 Germany 25.79 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 30 Kazakhstan 24.97 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 32 Colombia 24.26 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 33 Saudi Arabia 23.38 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 34 Venezuela 22.62 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for France
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.427 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.31 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.23 % 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 -0.1777 % 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 France?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in France was 24.43 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 France?
- The highest recorded value was 39.22 billion billion cubic meters in 1992.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 24.43 billion billion cubic meters in 2021.
- How does France rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- France ranks 31st out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France 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.