Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in China
China: Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals was 17.7% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in China, 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 % of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
China recorded 17.7% for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in 2022.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in China peaked at 24.6% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 7.0%, in 1984.
China ranks 59th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in China, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 10.3% | — |
| 1981 | 9.4% | -8.5% |
| 1982 | 8.6% | -8.9% |
| 1983 | 7.8% | -9.4% |
| 1984 | 7.0% | -10.1% |
| 1985 | 7.5% | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 8.0% | +6.8% |
| 1987 | 8.5% | +6.3% |
| 1988 | 9.0% | +5.8% |
| 1989 | 9.5% | +5.4% |
| 1990 | 10.0% | +5.1% |
| 1991 | 12.6% | +26.2% |
| 1992 | 15.2% | +20.1% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | +16.2% |
| 1994 | 18.1% | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 18.5% | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 19.0% | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 19.4% | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 19.9% | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 20.3% | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 20.7% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 21.2% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 21.7% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 22.2% | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 22.7% | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 23.2% | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 23.6% | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 24.6% | +4.2% |
| 2008 | 24.1% | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 23.7% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 24.5% | +3.3% |
| 2011 | 24.4% | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | -3.2% |
| 2013 | 23.1% | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 22.6% | -2.2% |
| 2015 | 22.3% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 21.7% | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 21.1% | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 21.0% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 20.2% | -3.6% |
| 2020 | 17.7% | -12.3% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 17.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 8.6% | 7.0% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.1% | 10.0% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.8% | 20.7% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 22.5% | 20.2% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.7% | 17.7% | 17.7% | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate -6.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0086 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate -3.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per capita 0.0052 1000 USD per person (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 1.38 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in China?
- Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals in China was 17.7% 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 industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 24.6% in 2007.
- What is the lowest industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.0% in 1984.
- How does China rank for industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- China ranks 59th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 24.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China 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 Industrial water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Industrial water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry, and municipal purposes).