Annual freshwater withdrawals in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 2.17 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals in North Macedonia, 1996–2022
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
North Macedonia recorded 2.17 billion billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals in 2022. That is the highest value across all 27 years on record.
The figure is up 38.5% on the previous year and up 243.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in North Macedonia peaked at 2.17 billion billion cubic meters in 2022 and was at its lowest, 494.70 million billion cubic meters, in 2013.
North Macedonia ranks 89th of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 27 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 1.55 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1997 | 1.34 billion billion cubic meters | -13.9% |
| 1998 | 1.12 billion billion cubic meters | -16.1% |
| 1999 | 907.75 million billion cubic meters | -19.2% |
| 2000 | 692.00 million billion cubic meters | -23.8% |
| 2001 | 662.60 million billion cubic meters | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 633.20 million billion cubic meters | -4.4% |
| 2003 | 807.73 million billion cubic meters | +27.6% |
| 2004 | 982.27 million billion cubic meters | +21.6% |
| 2005 | 1.16 billion billion cubic meters | +17.8% |
| 2006 | 854.00 million billion cubic meters | -26.2% |
| 2007 | 551.20 million billion cubic meters | -35.5% |
| 2008 | 799.15 million billion cubic meters | +45.0% |
| 2009 | 1.05 billion billion cubic meters | +31.0% |
| 2010 | 909.00 million billion cubic meters | -13.2% |
| 2011 | 770.90 million billion cubic meters | -15.2% |
| 2012 | 632.80 million billion cubic meters | -17.9% |
| 2013 | 494.70 million billion cubic meters | -21.8% |
| 2014 | 677.74 million billion cubic meters | +37.0% |
| 2015 | 860.78 million billion cubic meters | +27.0% |
| 2016 | 1.04 billion billion cubic meters | +21.3% |
| 2017 | 1.60 billion billion cubic meters | +53.2% |
| 2018 | 2.15 billion billion cubic meters | +34.7% |
| 2019 | 1.60 billion billion cubic meters | -25.7% |
| 2020 | 1.44 billion billion cubic meters | -10.0% |
| 2021 | 1.57 billion billion cubic meters | +8.9% |
| 2022 | 2.17 billion billion cubic meters | +38.5% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's 2.17 billion billion cubic meters is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.32 billion billion cubic meters, 65% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's 2.17 billion billion cubic meters is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 71% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.23 billion billion cubic meters | 907.75 million billion cubic meters | 1.55 billion billion cubic meters | 4 |
| 2000s | 818.61 million billion cubic meters | 551.20 million billion cubic meters | 1.16 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.07 billion billion cubic meters | 494.70 million billion cubic meters | 2.15 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.73 billion billion cubic meters | 1.44 billion billion cubic meters | 2.17 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
- 86 United Arab Emirates 2.26 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 87 Montenegro 2.21 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 88 Cambodia 2.18 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 90 El Salvador 1.94 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 91 Lebanon 1.81 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 92 Switzerland 1.70 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for North Macedonia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.21 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.483 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.22 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -7.16 % 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 -10.18 % 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 North Macedonia?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in North Macedonia was 2.17 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 North Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.17 billion billion cubic meters in 2022.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 494.70 million billion cubic meters in 2013.
- How does North Macedonia rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- North Macedonia ranks 89th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 243.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.