Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malta
Malta: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 36.66 million billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
36.66 million billion cubic meters
Change on year
down 7.5%
World rank
170th
of 181 countries
All-time high
46.10 million billion cubic meters
in 2013
All-time low
20.00 million billion cubic meters
in 1980
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malta, 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 Malta is 36.66 million billion cubic meters, measured in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.5% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Malta peaked at 46.10 million billion cubic meters in 2013 and was at its lowest, 20.00 million billion cubic meters, in 1980.
Malta ranks 170th 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 Malta, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 20.00 million billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 22.40 million billion cubic meters | +12.0% |
| 1982 | 24.80 million billion cubic meters | +10.7% |
| 1983 | 27.20 million billion cubic meters | +9.7% |
| 1984 | 29.60 million billion cubic meters | +8.8% |
| 1985 | 26.90 million billion cubic meters | -9.1% |
| 1986 | 26.54 million billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 26.18 million billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1988 | 25.82 million billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1989 | 25.46 million billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 25.10 million billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1991 | 24.74 million billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 24.38 million billion cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 24.02 million billion cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1994 | 23.66 million billion cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 23.30 million billion cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 24.83 million billion cubic meters | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 26.36 million billion cubic meters | +6.2% |
| 1998 | 27.89 million billion cubic meters | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 29.41 million billion cubic meters | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 30.94 million billion cubic meters | +5.2% |
| 2001 | 32.47 million billion cubic meters | +4.9% |
| 2002 | 34.00 million billion cubic meters | +4.7% |
| 2003 | 34.56 million billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2004 | 34.60 million billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 35.68 million billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 2006 | 36.24 million billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 36.80 million billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 35.80 million billion cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 2009 | 31.70 million billion cubic meters | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 40.90 million billion cubic meters | +29.0% |
| 2011 | 38.10 million billion cubic meters | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 40.10 million billion cubic meters | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 46.10 million billion cubic meters | +15.0% |
| 2014 | 45.00 million billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 41.80 million billion cubic meters | -7.1% |
| 2016 | 41.90 million billion cubic meters | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 46.00 million billion cubic meters | +9.8% |
| 2018 | 42.73 million billion cubic meters | -7.1% |
| 2019 | 40.73 million billion cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 2020 | 41.30 million billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 39.63 million billion cubic meters | -4.0% |
| 2022 | 36.66 million billion cubic meters | -7.5% |
Malta compared with similar countries
- Malta's 36.66 million billion cubic meters is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 2% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Malta's 36.66 million billion cubic meters is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.56 billion billion cubic meters, 1% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25.49 million billion cubic meters | 20.00 million billion cubic meters | 29.60 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.37 million billion cubic meters | 23.30 million billion cubic meters | 29.41 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.28 million billion cubic meters | 30.94 million billion cubic meters | 36.80 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.34 million billion cubic meters | 38.10 million billion cubic meters | 46.10 million billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 39.20 million billion cubic meters | 36.66 million billion cubic meters | 41.30 million billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Malta
- 167 Lesotho 43.80 million billion cubic meters compare
- 168 Saint Lucia 42.90 million billion cubic meters compare
- 169 Sao Tome and Principe 40.90 million billion cubic meters compare
- 171 Dominica 20.00 million billion cubic meters compare
- 172 Equatorial Guinea 19.80 million billion cubic meters compare
- 173 Djibouti 19.00 million billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Malta
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.15 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.365 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.16 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8269 % 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 % 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 Malta?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Malta was 36.66 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 Malta?
- The highest recorded value was 46.10 million billion cubic meters in 2013.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Malta?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.00 million billion cubic meters in 1980.
- How does Malta rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Malta ranks 170th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Malta?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malta 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 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.