Annual freshwater withdrawals in Netherlands
Netherlands: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 8.23 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
8.23 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
54th
of 181 countries
All-time high
11.55 billion billion cubic meters
in 2005
All-time low
6.51 billion billion cubic meters
in 1996
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Netherlands, 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 Netherlands stood at 8.23 billion billion cubic meters.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and down 23.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Netherlands peaked at 11.55 billion billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 6.51 billion billion cubic meters, in 1996.
That places Netherlands 54th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Netherlands, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 9.20 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 9.23 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 9.26 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 9.29 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 9.32 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1985 | 9.35 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1986 | 9.08 billion billion cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 8.80 billion billion cubic meters | -3.0% |
| 1988 | 8.53 billion billion cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 8.26 billion billion cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 7.98 billion billion cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 7.98 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7.69 billion billion cubic meters | -3.7% |
| 1993 | 7.39 billion billion cubic meters | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 7.10 billion billion cubic meters | -4.0% |
| 1995 | 6.80 billion billion cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 6.51 billion billion cubic meters | -4.3% |
| 1997 | 6.99 billion billion cubic meters | +7.4% |
| 1998 | 7.47 billion billion cubic meters | +6.9% |
| 1999 | 7.95 billion billion cubic meters | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 8.43 billion billion cubic meters | +6.1% |
| 2001 | 8.91 billion billion cubic meters | +5.7% |
| 2002 | 9.57 billion billion cubic meters | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 10.23 billion billion cubic meters | +6.9% |
| 2004 | 10.89 billion billion cubic meters | +6.4% |
| 2005 | 11.55 billion billion cubic meters | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 11.25 billion billion cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2007 | 10.94 billion billion cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 2008 | 10.71 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 11.41 billion billion cubic meters | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 10.93 billion billion cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 2011 | 10.19 billion billion cubic meters | -6.8% |
| 2012 | 10.72 billion billion cubic meters | +5.2% |
| 2013 | 10.64 billion billion cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 9.49 billion billion cubic meters | -10.8% |
| 2015 | 8.41 billion billion cubic meters | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 8.02 billion billion cubic meters | -4.6% |
| 2017 | 7.92 billion billion cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 8.09 billion billion cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.40 billion billion cubic meters | +3.9% |
| 2020 | 8.31 billion billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 7.95 billion billion cubic meters | -4.3% |
| 2022 | 8.23 billion billion cubic meters | +3.6% |
Netherlands compared with similar countries
- Netherlands's 8.23 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 4.8× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Netherlands's 8.23 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 2.7× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 9.03 billion billion cubic meters | 8.26 billion billion cubic meters | 9.35 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.39 billion billion cubic meters | 6.51 billion billion cubic meters | 7.98 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.39 billion billion cubic meters | 8.43 billion billion cubic meters | 11.55 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.28 billion billion cubic meters | 7.92 billion billion cubic meters | 10.93 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.16 billion billion cubic meters | 7.95 billion billion cubic meters | 8.31 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Netherlands
- 51 Poland 9.38 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 52 North Korea 8.66 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 53 United Kingdom 8.42 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 55 Romania 8.15 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 56 Kyrgyzstan 7.71 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 57 Laos 7.35 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Netherlands
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3 % 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 -0.1867 % 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 -0.2541 % 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) -6.03 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Netherlands?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Netherlands was 8.23 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 Netherlands?
- The highest recorded value was 11.55 billion billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Netherlands?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.51 billion billion cubic meters in 1996.
- How does Netherlands rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Netherlands ranks 54th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Netherlands?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Netherlands 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.