Annual freshwater withdrawals in France
France: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 24.43 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
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.
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
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 378.12 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 5.52 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 42.25 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 2.45 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 3.31 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1015 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 66.98 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.1903 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1859 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 18.44 Mt CO2e (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
CSV · JSON — 43 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 metres (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.