Annual freshwater withdrawals in Italy
Italy: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 33.78 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
33.78 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
22nd
of 181 countries
All-time high
53.56 billion billion cubic meters
in 2008
All-time low
33.42 billion billion cubic meters
in 2007
Years of data
53
1970–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Italy, 1970–2022
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
Italy recorded 33.78 billion billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals in 2022.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Italy peaked at 53.56 billion billion cubic meters in 2008 and was at its lowest, 33.42 billion billion cubic meters, in 2007.
That places Italy 22nd out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Italy, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 41.60 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1971 | 42.14 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 42.67 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 43.21 billion billion cubic meters | +1.3% |
| 1974 | 43.74 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 44.28 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 44.81 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 45.35 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 45.88 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1979 | 46.41 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 46.95 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 46.38 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 45.81 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1983 | 45.23 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 44.66 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 44.09 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 43.52 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 42.89 billion billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 42.30 billion billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 41.71 billion billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 41.12 billion billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 41.62 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 42.12 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 42.62 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 43.12 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 43.62 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 44.13 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 44.63 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 45.13 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 45.06 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 45.05 billion billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 43.39 billion billion cubic meters | -3.7% |
| 2002 | 41.72 billion billion cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 40.06 billion billion cubic meters | -4.0% |
| 2004 | 38.39 billion billion cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 36.68 billion billion cubic meters | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 35.05 billion billion cubic meters | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 33.42 billion billion cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 53.56 billion billion cubic meters | +60.3% |
| 2009 | 33.59 billion billion cubic meters | -37.3% |
| 2010 | 33.70 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 33.81 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 33.92 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 33.98 billion billion cubic meters | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 33.97 billion billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 33.96 billion billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 33.87 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 33.78 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 33.69 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 33.84 billion billion cubic meters | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 33.82 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 33.75 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 33.78 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 33.78 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 19.8× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Italy's 33.78 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 11.0× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual freshwater withdrawals in Italy changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +60.3% | 33.42 billion billion cubic meters | 53.56 billion billion cubic meters |
| 2009 | -37.3% | 53.56 billion billion cubic meters | 33.59 billion billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 44.01 billion billion cubic meters | 41.60 billion billion cubic meters | 46.41 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.35 billion billion cubic meters | 41.71 billion billion cubic meters | 46.95 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 43.32 billion billion cubic meters | 41.12 billion billion cubic meters | 45.13 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.09 billion billion cubic meters | 33.42 billion billion cubic meters | 53.56 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 33.85 billion billion cubic meters | 33.69 billion billion cubic meters | 33.98 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 33.78 billion billion cubic meters | 33.75 billion billion cubic meters | 33.82 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Italy
- 19 Canada 36.13 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 20 Bangladesh 35.87 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 21 Chile 35.37 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 23 Myanmar 33.23 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 24 South Korea 29.20 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 25 Spain 29.02 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Italy
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.324 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.94 % 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 -0.2257 % 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 Italy?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Italy was 33.78 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 53.56 billion billion cubic meters in 2008.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.42 billion billion cubic meters in 2007.
- How does Italy rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Italy ranks 22nd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Italy 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.
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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.