Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America
Northern America: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 17.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America is 17.8%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America peaked at 21.9% in 2005 and was at its lowest, 17.8%, in 2015.
Northern America ranks 15th of 28 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 21.6% | — |
| 2001 | 21.7% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 21.7% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 21.8% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 21.8% | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 21.9% | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 21.3% | -2.3% |
| 2007 | 20.8% | -2.4% |
| 2008 | 20.3% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 19.7% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 19.1% | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 18.8% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 18.6% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 18.1% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 17.8% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 17.8% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 17.8% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 17.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 17.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 17.8% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 17.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 17.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 21.3% | 19.7% | 21.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.2% | 17.8% | 19.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.8% | 17.8% | 17.8% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Northern America
More environment data for Northern America
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.23 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.25 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.466 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.49 °C (2025)
- Recovered paper — Production 43.74 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish — Production 92.54 million t (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Agricultural Use 14.64 million t (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per capita 37.99 kg/cap (2024)
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Use per area of cropland 75.85 kg/ha (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Northern America was 17.8% 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 Northern America?
- The highest recorded value was 21.9% in 2005.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in Northern America?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.8% in 2015.
- How does Northern America rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- Northern America ranks 15th out of 28 groups with data for 2023.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in Northern America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Northern America 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).