Annual freshwater withdrawals in Iceland
Iceland: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 290.00 million billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
290.00 million billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
143rd
of 181 countries
All-time high
294.00 million billion cubic meters
in 2012
All-time low
108.00 million billion cubic meters
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Iceland, 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 Iceland stood at 290.00 million billion cubic meters.
The figure is down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Iceland peaked at 294.00 million billion cubic meters in 2012 and was at its lowest, 108.00 million billion cubic meters, in 1980.
Iceland ranks 143rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Iceland, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 108.00 million billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 108.80 million billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 109.60 million billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 110.40 million billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 111.20 million billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 112.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 123.00 million billion cubic meters | +9.8% |
| 1987 | 134.00 million billion cubic meters | +8.9% |
| 1988 | 145.00 million billion cubic meters | +8.2% |
| 1989 | 156.00 million billion cubic meters | +7.6% |
| 1990 | 167.00 million billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 167.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 167.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 166.50 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 166.00 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 165.50 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 165.00 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 164.50 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 164.00 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 163.50 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 163.00 million billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 164.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 165.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 165.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 165.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 181.36 million billion cubic meters | +9.9% |
| 2006 | 197.72 million billion cubic meters | +9.0% |
| 2007 | 214.07 million billion cubic meters | +8.3% |
| 2008 | 230.43 million billion cubic meters | +7.6% |
| 2009 | 246.79 million billion cubic meters | +7.1% |
| 2010 | 263.15 million billion cubic meters | +6.6% |
| 2011 | 278.68 million billion cubic meters | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 294.00 million billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 2013 | 291.10 million billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 275.40 million billion cubic meters | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 279.50 million billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 260.00 million billion cubic meters | -7.0% |
| 2017 | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | +11.5% |
| 2018 | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 290.00 million billion cubic meters is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 17% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 290.00 million billion cubic meters is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 9% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 121.80 million billion cubic meters | 108.00 million billion cubic meters | 156.00 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 165.60 million billion cubic meters | 163.50 million billion cubic meters | 167.00 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 189.24 million billion cubic meters | 163.00 million billion cubic meters | 246.79 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 281.18 million billion cubic meters | 260.00 million billion cubic meters | 294.00 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | 290.00 million billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 140 Palestine 334.80 million billion cubic meters compare
- 141 Bosnia and Herzegovina 312.04 million billion cubic meters compare
- 142 Lithuania 300.36 million billion cubic meters compare
- 144 Burundi 280.10 million billion cubic meters compare
- 145 Qatar 250.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 146 Cyprus 223.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 146 Togo 223.00 million billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Iceland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.587 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.47 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8549 % 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 -1.93 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Iceland?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Iceland was 290.00 million 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 Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 294.00 million billion cubic meters in 2012.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 108.00 million billion cubic meters in 1980.
- How does Iceland rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Iceland ranks 143rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland 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.