Annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen
Yemen: Annual freshwater withdrawals was 3.56 billion billion cubic meters in 2022. ▲ Rising
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen, 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
In 2022, annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen stood at 3.56 billion billion cubic meters. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen peaked at 3.56 billion billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 2.92 billion billion cubic meters, in 1990.
Yemen ranks 74th of 181 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 2.92 billion billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 2.97 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1992 | 3.02 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 3.06 billion billion cubic meters | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 3.11 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 3.16 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 3.20 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 3.25 billion billion cubic meters | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 3.30 billion billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 3.34 billion billion cubic meters | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 3.38 billion billion cubic meters | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 3.42 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 3.46 billion billion cubic meters | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 3.49 billion billion cubic meters | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 3.53 billion billion cubic meters | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Yemen compared with similar countries
- Yemen's 3.56 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for low income countries, which is 879.60 million billion cubic meters, 4.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Yemen's 3.56 billion billion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 3.56 billion billion cubic meters, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.13 billion billion cubic meters | 2.92 billion billion cubic meters | 3.34 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.51 billion billion cubic meters | 3.38 billion billion cubic meters | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 3.56 billion billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Yemen
- 71 Belgium 4.30 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 72 Kenya 4.03 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 73 Tunisia 3.86 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 75 Costa Rica 3.45 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 76 Guatemala 3.32 billion billion cubic meters compare
- 77 Somalia 3.30 billion billion cubic meters compare
More environment data for Yemen
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -36.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -31.12 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 43.43 % change on previous year (1998)
- Standard Deviation 0.393 °C (1998)
- Temperature change 1.37 °C (1998)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2018)
- 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 2.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen?
- Annual freshwater withdrawals in Yemen was 3.56 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 Yemen?
- The highest recorded value was 3.56 billion billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest annual freshwater withdrawals recorded in Yemen?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.92 billion billion cubic meters in 1990.
- How does Yemen rank for annual freshwater withdrawals?
- Yemen ranks 74th out of 181 countries with data for 2022.
- Is annual freshwater withdrawals rising or falling in Yemen?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Yemen 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.