Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sweden
Sweden: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 2.48 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
2.48 billion billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
84th
of 181 countries
All-time high
4.13 billion billion cubic meters
in 1975
All-time low
2.38 billion billion cubic meters
in 2015
Years of data
53
1970–2022
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sweden, 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
Sweden recorded 2.48 billion billion cubic meters for annual freshwater withdrawals in 2022.
That represents a change of down 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Sweden peaked at 4.13 billion billion cubic meters in 1975 and was at its lowest, 2.38 billion billion cubic meters, in 2015.
That places Sweden 84th 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 Sweden, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.07 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1971 | 4.09 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1972 | 4.10 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 4.11 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 4.12 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 4.13 billion billion cubic meters | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 4.13 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1977 | 4.12 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 4.12 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 4.11 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 4.11 billion billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 3.88 billion billion cubic meters | -5.5% |
| 1982 | 3.65 billion billion cubic meters | -5.9% |
| 1983 | 3.42 billion billion cubic meters | -6.2% |
| 1984 | 3.20 billion billion cubic meters | -6.6% |
| 1985 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | -7.1% |
| 1986 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 2.89 billion billion cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1994 | 2.81 billion billion cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 2.73 billion billion cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1996 | 2.72 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 2.71 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 2.70 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 2.70 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 2.69 billion billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 2.68 billion billion cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 2.68 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.66 billion billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 2.65 billion billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 2.63 billion billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2006 | 2.63 billion billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.63 billion billion cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 2.65 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 2.67 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 2.69 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 2.63 billion billion cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 2.56 billion billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2013 | 2.50 billion billion cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 2.44 billion billion cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 2015 | 2.38 billion billion cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.40 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 2.44 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 2.46 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 2.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 2.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 2.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 2.48 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 1.5× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 2.48 billion billion cubic meters is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.07 billion billion cubic meters, 81% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.11 billion billion cubic meters | 4.07 billion billion cubic meters | 4.13 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.31 billion billion cubic meters | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | 4.11 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.82 billion billion cubic meters | 2.70 billion billion cubic meters | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.66 billion billion cubic meters | 2.63 billion billion cubic meters | 2.69 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.49 billion billion cubic meters | 2.38 billion billion cubic meters | 2.69 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.48 billion billion cubic meters | 2.48 billion billion cubic meters | 2.48 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
- 81 Finland 3.00 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 82 Norway 2.69 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 83 Niger 2.58 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 85 Paraguay 2.41 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 86 United Arab Emirates 2.26 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 87 Montenegro 2.21 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Sweden
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.852 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.72 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.27 % 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 -0.0922 % 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 Sweden?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Sweden was 2.48 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 4.13 billion billion cubic meters in 1975.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.38 billion billion cubic meters in 2015.
- How does Sweden rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Sweden ranks 84th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sweden 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.