Annual freshwater withdrawals in South Korea
South Korea: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 29.20 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
29.20 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
24th
of 181 countries
All-time high
29.20 billion billion cubic meters
in 2005
All-time low
20.57 billion billion cubic meters
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in South Korea, 1990–2022
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 South Korea is 29.20 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in South Korea peaked at 29.20 billion billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 20.57 billion billion cubic meters, in 1990.
South Korea ranks 24th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in South Korea, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.57 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 21.27 billion billion cubic meters | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 21.96 billion billion cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 22.66 billion billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 1994 | 23.35 billion billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1995 | 24.05 billion billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 24.74 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 25.44 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 26.19 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 26.93 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 27.68 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 28.42 billion billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 29.17 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 29.18 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 29.19 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 29.20 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 17.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 29.20 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 9.27 billion billion cubic meters, 3.2× the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.72 billion billion cubic meters | 20.57 billion billion cubic meters | 26.93 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.96 billion billion cubic meters | 27.68 billion billion cubic meters | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 29.20 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 21 Chile 35.37 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 22 Italy 33.78 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 23 Myanmar 33.23 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 25 Spain 29.02 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 26 Sudan 26.93 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 27 Turkmenistan 26.25 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % 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 -2.27 % 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 -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in South Korea?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in South Korea was 29.20 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 29.20 billion billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.57 billion billion cubic meters in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- South Korea ranks 24th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea 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 — 33 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.