Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Western Europe
Western Europe: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 31.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Western Europe, 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 Western Europe is 31.4%, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Western Europe peaked at 49.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 31.4%, in 2023.
That places Western Europe 9th out of 28 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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 Western Europe, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 49.2% | — |
| 2001 | 49.0% | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 48.6% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 48.4% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 48.4% | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 48.1% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 47.0% | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 42.5% | -9.6% |
| 2008 | 44.5% | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 44.8% | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 41.5% | -7.5% |
| 2011 | 42.9% | +3.6% |
| 2012 | 40.7% | -5.2% |
| 2013 | 36.0% | -11.5% |
| 2014 | 38.2% | +6.2% |
| 2015 | 37.0% | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 33.6% | -9.3% |
| 2017 | 35.5% | +5.8% |
| 2018 | 35.6% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 34.8% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 34.1% | -2.2% |
| 2021 | 32.9% | -3.3% |
| 2022 | 32.3% | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 31.4% | -2.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 47.0% | 42.5% | 49.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 37.6% | 33.6% | 42.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.7% | 31.4% | 34.1% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Western Europe
- 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
- 12 Uzbekistan 123.0% compare
More environment data for Western Europe
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.94 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.1 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.485 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.23 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total fibre furnish — Production, annual growth rate -4.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other industrial roundwood — Production, annual growth rate -0.1823 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import value, annual growth rate 1.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, annual growth rate 0.8449 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate -0.7929 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Western Europe?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in Western Europe was 31.4% 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 Western Europe?
- The highest recorded value was 49.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in Western Europe?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.4% in 2023.
- How does Western Europe rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- Western Europe ranks 9th out of 28 groups with data for 2023.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in Western Europe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Western 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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