Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China
China: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 41.6% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China is 41.6%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 7.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China peaked at 44.8% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 38.7%, in 2003.
China ranks 46th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 40.4% | — |
| 2001 | 40.3% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 40.0% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 38.7% | -3.1% |
| 2004 | 40.4% | +4.3% |
| 2005 | 41.0% | +1.5% |
| 2006 | 42.2% | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 42.3% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 43.0% | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 43.3% | +0.9% |
| 2010 | 43.7% | +0.9% |
| 2011 | 44.3% | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 44.5% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 44.8% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 44.1% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 44.1% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 43.6% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 43.5% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 43.3% | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 43.2% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 41.5% | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 42.2% | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 42.5% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 41.6% | -2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 41.2% | 38.7% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.9% | 43.2% | 44.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.0% | 41.5% | 42.5% | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
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- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
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Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China was 41.6% in 2023, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 44.8% in 2013.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.7% in 2003.
- How does China rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- China ranks 46th out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).