Annual freshwater withdrawals in Pakistan
Pakistan: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 179.30 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
179.30 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
down 2.6%
World rank
5th
of 181 countries
All-time high
199.97 billion billion cubic meters
in 2017
All-time low
153.37 billion billion cubic meters
in 1975
Years of data
48
1975–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Pakistan, 1975–2022
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
Pakistan recorded 179.30 billion billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.6% on the previous year and down 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Pakistan peaked at 199.97 billion billion cubic meters in 2017 and was at its lowest, 153.37 billion billion cubic meters, in 1975.
That places Pakistan 5th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 153.37 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 153.51 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 153.65 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 153.79 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 153.93 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 154.07 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 154.21 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 154.34 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 154.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 154.62 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 154.76 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 154.90 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 155.04 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 155.18 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 155.32 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 155.46 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 155.60 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 157.48 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 159.37 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 161.25 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 163.14 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 165.02 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 1997 | 166.91 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 1998 | 168.79 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 170.68 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2000 | 172.56 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 173.84 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 175.11 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 176.39 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 177.66 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 178.94 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 180.44 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 181.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 183.50 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 183.09 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 185.28 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 179.48 billion billion cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 2012 | 187.88 billion billion cubic meters | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 183.50 billion billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 2014 | 194.87 billion billion cubic meters | +6.2% |
| 2015 | 196.91 billion billion cubic meters | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 199.77 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 199.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 192.74 billion billion cubic meters | -3.6% |
| 2019 | 177.11 billion billion cubic meters | -8.1% |
| 2020 | 189.59 billion billion cubic meters | +7.0% |
| 2021 | 184.16 billion billion cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 2022 | 179.30 billion billion cubic meters | -2.6% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 179.30 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1.51 billion billion cubic meters, 118.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 179.30 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.56 billion billion cubic meters, 50.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 153.65 billion billion cubic meters | 153.37 billion billion cubic meters | 153.93 billion billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 154.69 billion billion cubic meters | 154.07 billion billion cubic meters | 155.32 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 162.37 billion billion cubic meters | 155.46 billion billion cubic meters | 170.68 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 178.35 billion billion cubic meters | 172.56 billion billion cubic meters | 183.50 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 189.75 billion billion cubic meters | 177.11 billion billion cubic meters | 199.97 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 184.35 billion billion cubic meters | 179.30 billion billion cubic meters | 189.59 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 2 China 568.48 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 3 United States 444.29 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 4 Indonesia 222.63 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 6 Iran 92.95 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 7 Philippines 91.04 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 8 Mexico 89.80 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Pakistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -10.53 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.373 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.7034 % 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 3.1 % 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 Pakistan?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Pakistan was 179.30 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 199.97 billion billion cubic meters in 2017.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 153.37 billion billion cubic meters in 1975.
- How does Pakistan rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Pakistan ranks 5th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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 — 48 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.