Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Southern Europe
Southern Europe: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 31.8% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Southern Europe, 2000–2023
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Southern Europe recorded 31.8% for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Southern Europe peaked at 40.4% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 31.6%, in 2022.
Southern Europe ranks 8th 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 Southern Europe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 37.7% | — |
| 2001 | 36.9% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 34.6% | -6.2% |
| 2003 | 34.3% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 33.9% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 33.6% | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 33.2% | -1.2% |
| 2007 | 33.1% | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 40.4% | +22.1% |
| 2009 | 34.0% | -15.8% |
| 2010 | 33.6% | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 33.8% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 34.1% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 32.9% | -3.5% |
| 2014 | 32.8% | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 32.7% | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 32.8% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 32.0% | -2.3% |
| 2018 | 32.0% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 31.9% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 31.9% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 32.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 31.6% | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 31.8% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 35.2% | 33.1% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.9% | 31.9% | 34.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.8% | 31.6% | 32.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Southern Europe
- 5 Qatar 431.0% compare
- 6 Yemen 281.5% compare
- 7 Bahrain 152.5% compare
- 8 Algeria 144.8% compare
- 9 Turkmenistan 135.2% compare
- 10 Syrian Arab Republic 124.4% compare
- 10 Syrian Arab Republic 124.4% compare
More environment data for Southern Europe
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.1235 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.3167 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.323 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.19 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Sawnwood — Import value, annual growth rate -1.22 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Export value, annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, annual growth rate 3.89 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate 1.85 % change on previous year (2024)
- Wood charcoal — Production, annual growth rate 12.39 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Southern Europe?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Southern Europe was 31.8% 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 Southern Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 40.4% in 2008.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in Southern Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.6% in 2022.
- How does Southern Europe rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- Southern Europe ranks 8th out of 28 groups with data for 2023.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in Southern Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Southern Europe 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.
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