Annual freshwater withdrawals in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 23.38 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Saudi Arabia, 1992–2022
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 Saudi Arabia is 23.38 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Saudi Arabia peaked at 23.38 billion billion cubic meters in 2018 and was at its lowest, 16.12 billion billion cubic meters, in 1992.
That places Saudi Arabia 33rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 31 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 17.69 billion billion cubic meters | 16.12 billion billion cubic meters | 19.24 billion billion cubic meters | 8 |
| 2000s | 21.25 billion billion cubic meters | 19.67 billion billion cubic meters | 22.64 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.30 billion billion cubic meters | 21.46 billion billion cubic meters | 23.38 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 23.38 billion billion cubic meters | 23.38 billion billion cubic meters | 23.38 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 30 Kazakhstan 24.97 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 31 France 24.43 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 32 Colombia 24.26 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 34 Venezuela 22.62 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 35 South Africa 21.11 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 36 Afghanistan 20.28 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Saudi Arabia
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 838.88 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 23.76 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 8.68 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.0153 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 69.55 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0811 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 113.12 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.3635 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.3983 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 33.24 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Saudi Arabia?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Saudi Arabia was 23.38 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 23.38 billion billion cubic meters in 2018.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.12 billion billion cubic meters in 1992.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 33rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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 — 31 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 metres (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.