Annual freshwater withdrawals in Romania
Romania: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 8.15 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
8.15 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
55th
of 181 countries
All-time high
20.50 billion billion cubic meters
in 1985
All-time low
5.33 billion billion cubic meters
in 2006
Years of data
53
1970–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Romania, 1970–2022
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
Romania recorded 8.15 billion billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and up 25.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Romania peaked at 20.50 billion billion cubic meters in 1985 and was at its lowest, 5.33 billion billion cubic meters, in 2006.
That places Romania 55th out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 53 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Romania, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 9.59 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1971 | 10.55 billion billion cubic meters | +10.0% |
| 1972 | 11.51 billion billion cubic meters | +9.1% |
| 1973 | 12.48 billion billion cubic meters | +8.4% |
| 1974 | 13.44 billion billion cubic meters | +7.7% |
| 1975 | 14.40 billion billion cubic meters | +7.2% |
| 1976 | 15.28 billion billion cubic meters | +6.1% |
| 1977 | 16.16 billion billion cubic meters | +5.8% |
| 1978 | 17.04 billion billion cubic meters | +5.4% |
| 1979 | 17.92 billion billion cubic meters | +5.2% |
| 1980 | 18.80 billion billion cubic meters | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 19.14 billion billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 19.48 billion billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 19.82 billion billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 20.16 billion billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 20.50 billion billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 20.48 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 20.46 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1988 | 20.45 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1989 | 20.43 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1990 | 20.41 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 20.25 billion billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 20.10 billion billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 19.94 billion billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 17.97 billion billion cubic meters | -9.9% |
| 1995 | 16.00 billion billion cubic meters | -11.0% |
| 1996 | 14.23 billion billion cubic meters | -11.1% |
| 1997 | 12.46 billion billion cubic meters | -12.4% |
| 1998 | 12.76 billion billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 12.65 billion billion cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 9.65 billion billion cubic meters | -23.7% |
| 2001 | 9.06 billion billion cubic meters | -6.1% |
| 2002 | 9.22 billion billion cubic meters | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 8.51 billion billion cubic meters | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 7.12 billion billion cubic meters | -16.3% |
| 2005 | 6.11 billion billion cubic meters | -14.2% |
| 2006 | 5.33 billion billion cubic meters | -12.8% |
| 2007 | 6.88 billion billion cubic meters | +29.2% |
| 2008 | 7.22 billion billion cubic meters | +4.9% |
| 2009 | 6.88 billion billion cubic meters | -4.8% |
| 2010 | 6.22 billion billion cubic meters | -9.6% |
| 2011 | 6.59 billion billion cubic meters | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 6.48 billion billion cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 6.42 billion billion cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 6.28 billion billion cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 6.46 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 6.37 billion billion cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 6.77 billion billion cubic meters | +6.3% |
| 2018 | 6.42 billion billion cubic meters | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 6.99 billion billion cubic meters | +9.0% |
| 2020 | 7.40 billion billion cubic meters | +5.8% |
| 2021 | 7.86 billion billion cubic meters | +6.3% |
| 2022 | 8.15 billion billion cubic meters | +3.6% |
Romania compared with similar countries
- Romania's 8.15 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)
- Romania's 8.15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.84 billion billion cubic meters | 9.59 billion billion cubic meters | 17.92 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.97 billion billion cubic meters | 18.80 billion billion cubic meters | 20.50 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.68 billion billion cubic meters | 12.46 billion billion cubic meters | 20.41 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.60 billion billion cubic meters | 5.33 billion billion cubic meters | 9.65 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.50 billion billion cubic meters | 6.22 billion billion cubic meters | 6.99 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.80 billion billion cubic meters | 7.40 billion billion cubic meters | 8.15 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Romania
- 52 North Korea 8.66 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 53 United Kingdom 8.42 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 54 Netherlands 8.23 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 56 Kyrgyzstan 7.71 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 57 Laos 7.35 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 58 Dominican Republic 7.14 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Romania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.2 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.634 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.03 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5647 % 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 -0.1112 % 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 Romania?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Romania was 8.15 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 Romania?
- The highest recorded value was 20.50 billion billion cubic meters in 1985.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Romania?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.33 billion billion cubic meters in 2006.
- How does Romania rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Romania ranks 55th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Romania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Romania 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.