Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 12.95 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
12.95 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
40th
of 181 countries
All-time high
13.01 billion billion cubic meters
in 2000
All-time low
9.77 billion billion cubic meters
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sri Lanka, 1990–2022
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 Sri Lanka is 12.95 billion billion cubic meters, measured in 2022.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Sri Lanka peaked at 13.01 billion billion cubic meters in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.77 billion billion cubic meters, in 1990.
Sri Lanka ranks 40th of 181 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.77 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 10.09 billion billion cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 10.42 billion billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 1993 | 10.74 billion billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 11.07 billion billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 11.39 billion billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 11.71 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 12.04 billion billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 12.36 billion billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 12.69 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 13.01 billion billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 13.00 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 12.98 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 12.97 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 12.96 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 12.95 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 3.32 billion billion cubic meters, 3.9× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 12.95 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for South Asia, which is 11.22 billion billion cubic meters, 1.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.23 billion billion cubic meters | 9.77 billion billion cubic meters | 12.69 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.97 billion billion cubic meters | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 13.01 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 12.95 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 37 Syria 13.96 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 38 Madagascar 13.46 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 39 Azerbaijan 13.03 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 41 Nigeria 12.47 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 42 Australia 11.62 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 43 Tajikistan 10.60 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.63 % 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 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Sri Lanka?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sri Lanka was 12.95 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 13.01 billion billion cubic meters in 2000.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.77 billion billion cubic meters in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Sri Lanka ranks 40th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 — 33 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.