Industrial water withdrawal in Iraq
Iraq: Industrial water withdrawal was 3.65 billion cubic meters in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
3.65 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
26th
of 180 countries
All-time high
9.70 billion cubic meters
in 2000
All-time low
170.00 million cubic meters
in 1985
Years of data
49
1975–2023
Industrial water withdrawal in Iraq, 1975–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for industrial water withdrawal in Iraq is 3.65 billion cubic meters, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 38.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, industrial water withdrawal in Iraq peaked at 9.70 billion cubic meters in 2000 and was at its lowest, 170.00 million cubic meters, in 1985.
That places Iraq 26th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Industrial water withdrawal in Iraq, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 450.00 million cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 422.00 million cubic meters | -6.2% |
| 1977 | 394.00 million cubic meters | -6.6% |
| 1978 | 366.00 million cubic meters | -7.1% |
| 1979 | 338.00 million cubic meters | -7.7% |
| 1980 | 310.00 million cubic meters | -8.3% |
| 1981 | 282.00 million cubic meters | -9.0% |
| 1982 | 254.00 million cubic meters | -9.9% |
| 1983 | 226.00 million cubic meters | -11.0% |
| 1984 | 198.00 million cubic meters | -12.4% |
| 1985 | 170.00 million cubic meters | -14.1% |
| 1986 | 564.00 million cubic meters | +231.8% |
| 1987 | 958.00 million cubic meters | +69.9% |
| 1988 | 1.35 billion cubic meters | +41.1% |
| 1989 | 1.75 billion cubic meters | +29.1% |
| 1990 | 2.14 billion cubic meters | +22.6% |
| 1991 | 2.90 billion cubic meters | +35.3% |
| 1992 | 3.65 billion cubic meters | +26.1% |
| 1993 | 4.41 billion cubic meters | +20.7% |
| 1994 | 5.16 billion cubic meters | +17.2% |
| 1995 | 5.92 billion cubic meters | +14.6% |
| 1996 | 6.68 billion cubic meters | +12.8% |
| 1997 | 7.43 billion cubic meters | +11.3% |
| 1998 | 8.19 billion cubic meters | +10.2% |
| 1999 | 8.94 billion cubic meters | +9.2% |
| 2000 | 9.70 billion cubic meters | +8.5% |
| 2001 | 9.16 billion cubic meters | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 8.61 billion cubic meters | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 8.07 billion cubic meters | -6.3% |
| 2004 | 7.53 billion cubic meters | -6.7% |
| 2005 | 6.99 billion cubic meters | -7.2% |
| 2006 | 6.44 billion cubic meters | -7.8% |
| 2007 | 5.90 billion cubic meters | -8.4% |
| 2008 | 5.36 billion cubic meters | -9.2% |
| 2009 | 4.81 billion cubic meters | -10.1% |
| 2010 | 4.27 billion cubic meters | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 3.73 billion cubic meters | -12.7% |
| 2012 | 3.19 billion cubic meters | -14.6% |
| 2013 | 2.64 billion cubic meters | -17.0% |
| 2014 | 2.10 billion cubic meters | -20.5% |
| 2015 | 1.86 billion cubic meters | -11.4% |
| 2016 | 2.05 billion cubic meters | +10.2% |
| 2017 | 4.71 billion cubic meters | +129.8% |
| 2018 | 5.40 billion cubic meters | +14.6% |
| 2019 | 5.49 billion cubic meters | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 3.76 billion cubic meters | -31.5% |
| 2021 | 4.59 billion cubic meters | +22.1% |
| 2022 | 3.65 billion cubic meters | -20.6% |
| 2023 | 3.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 3.65 billion cubic meters is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 448.00 million cubic meters, 8.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Iraq's 3.65 billion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 169.50 million cubic meters, 21.5× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Industrial water withdrawal in Iraq 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +231.8% | 170.00 million cubic meters | 564.00 million cubic meters |
| 2017 | +129.8% | 2.05 billion cubic meters | 4.71 billion cubic meters |
| 1987 | +69.9% | 564.00 million cubic meters | 958.00 million cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 394.00 million cubic meters | 338.00 million cubic meters | 450.00 million cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 606.00 million cubic meters | 170.00 million cubic meters | 1.75 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.54 billion cubic meters | 2.14 billion cubic meters | 8.94 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.26 billion cubic meters | 4.81 billion cubic meters | 9.70 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.54 billion cubic meters | 1.86 billion cubic meters | 5.49 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.91 billion cubic meters | 3.65 billion cubic meters | 4.59 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More environment data for Iraq
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -38.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.549 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.99 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 2.71 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is industrial water withdrawal in Iraq?
- Industrial water withdrawal in Iraq was 3.65 billion cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest industrial water withdrawal recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 9.70 billion cubic meters in 2000.
- What is the lowest industrial water withdrawal recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 170.00 million cubic meters in 1985.
- How does Iraq rank for industrial water withdrawal?
- Iraq ranks 26th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is industrial water withdrawal rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Industrial water withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Water withdrawn each year by self-supplied industries.