Annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 8.42 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom, 1980–2022
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
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom stood at 8.42 billion billion cubic meters.
That represents a change of up 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom peaked at 13.48 billion billion cubic meters in 1980 and was at its lowest, 7.29 billion billion cubic meters, in 2014.
United Kingdom ranks 53rd of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 13.48 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 13.08 billion billion cubic meters | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 12.69 billion billion cubic meters | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 12.29 billion billion cubic meters | -3.1% |
| 1984 | 11.90 billion billion cubic meters | -3.2% |
| 1985 | 11.50 billion billion cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 11.60 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 11.71 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 11.81 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 11.92 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 12.02 billion billion cubic meters | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 12.03 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1992 | 12.05 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 12.06 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 12.08 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 12.09 billion billion cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 12.17 billion billion cubic meters | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 12.25 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 12.33 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 12.41 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 12.48 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 12.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 12.64 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 12.72 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 12.80 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 12.88 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 12.96 billion billion cubic meters | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 8.51 billion billion cubic meters | -34.3% |
| 2008 | 8.35 billion billion cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 2009 | 8.28 billion billion cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 8.26 billion billion cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 7.68 billion billion cubic meters | -7.0% |
| 2012 | 8.02 billion billion cubic meters | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 7.65 billion billion cubic meters | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 7.29 billion billion cubic meters | -4.8% |
| 2015 | 8.16 billion billion cubic meters | +12.0% |
| 2016 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 8.42 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 1.70 billion billion cubic meters, 4.9× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 8.42 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)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | -34.3% | 12.96 billion billion cubic meters | 8.51 billion billion cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.20 billion billion cubic meters | 11.50 billion billion cubic meters | 13.48 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 12.15 billion billion cubic meters | 12.02 billion billion cubic meters | 12.41 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.42 billion billion cubic meters | 8.28 billion billion cubic meters | 12.96 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.07 billion billion cubic meters | 7.29 billion billion cubic meters | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | 8.42 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 50 Nepal 9.50 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 51 Poland 9.38 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 52 North Korea 8.66 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 54 Netherlands 8.23 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 55 Romania 8.15 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 56 Kyrgyzstan 7.71 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for United Kingdom
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.13 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.47 % 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 -0.8735 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -1.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in United Kingdom was 8.42 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 13.48 billion billion cubic meters in 1980.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.29 billion billion cubic meters in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- United Kingdom ranks 53rd out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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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CSV · JSON — 43 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.