Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 974.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2023, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Saudi Arabia stood at 974.2%. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
That represents a change of up 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Saudi Arabia peaked at 974.2% in 2018 and was at its lowest, 678.9%, in 2010.
That places Saudi Arabia 3rd out of 196 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
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 Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 819.8% | — |
| 2001 | 832.6% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 847.8% | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 858.2% | +1.2% |
| 2004 | 870.1% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 894.8% | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 943.3% | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 877.2% | -7.0% |
| 2008 | 811.1% | -7.5% |
| 2009 | 745.0% | -8.1% |
| 2010 | 678.9% | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 735.6% | +8.3% |
| 2012 | 797.7% | +8.5% |
| 2013 | 853.5% | +7.0% |
| 2014 | 894.7% | +4.8% |
| 2015 | 948.9% | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 929.6% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 956.0% | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 974.2% | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 974.2% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 974.2% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 974.2% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 974.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 974.2% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 850.0% | 745.0% | 943.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 874.3% | 678.9% | 974.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 974.2% | 974.2% | 974.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More environment data for Saudi Arabia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -52.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -27.86 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.424 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Roundwood — Import value, annual growth rate 46.07 % change on previous year (2024)
- Roundwood — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Roundwood — Import value, per capita 0.0004 1000 USD per person (2024)
- Roundwood — Export quantity, annual growth rate 28.47 % change on previous year (2024)
- Roundwood — Export quantity, per capita 0 m3 per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Saudi Arabia?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Saudi Arabia was 974.2% 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 Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 974.2% in 2018.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 678.9% in 2010.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 3rd out of 196 countries with data for 2023.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia 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).