Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China
China: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 41.52 in 2022. ▲ Rising
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China, 1980–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China is 41.52, measured in 2022.
The figure is down 5.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China peaked at 44.11 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 32.41, in 1980.
China ranks 44th of 178 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in China, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 32.41 | — |
| 1981 | 33.02 | +1.9% |
| 1982 | 33.63 | +1.9% |
| 1983 | 34.24 | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 34.85 | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 35.13 | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 35.41 | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 35.69 | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 35.96 | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 36.24 | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 36.52 | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 37.14 | +1.7% |
| 1992 | 37.75 | +1.7% |
| 1993 | 38.37 | +1.6% |
| 1994 | 38.64 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 38.9 | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 39.17 | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 39.44 | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 39.7 | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 39.97 | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 40.23 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 40.28 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 40.33 | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 40.37 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 40.42 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 40.47 | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 41.48 | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 41.53 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 42.08 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 42.59 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 42.86 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 43.46 | +1.4% |
| 2012 | 43.73 | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 44.03 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 43.34 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 43.22 | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 44.11 | +2.1% |
| 2017 | 43.54 | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 43.3 | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 43.21 | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 41.52 | -3.9% |
| 2021 | 41.52 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 41.52 | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 34.66 | 32.41 | 36.24 | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.56 | 36.52 | 39.97 | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.98 | 40.23 | 42.59 | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.48 | 42.86 | 44.11 | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.52 | 41.52 | 41.52 | 3 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs — Production, annual growth rate 8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawlogs and veneer logs, non-coniferous — Production, annual growth 8 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other industrial roundwood — Production, annual growth rate 7.94 % change on previous year (2024)
- Other industrial roundwood, non-coniferous (production) — Production 7.93 % change on previous year (2024)
- Wood charcoal — Production, annual growth rate -0.5456 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
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 41.52 in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 44.11 in 2016.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 32.41 in 1980.
- How does China rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- China ranks 44th out of 178 countries with data for 2022.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 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 — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources is the ratio between total freshwater withdrawn by all major sectors and total renewable freshwater resources, after taking into account environmental water requirements. Main sectors, as defined by ISIC standards, include agriculture; forestry and fishing; manufacturing; electricity industry; and services. This indicator is also known as water withdrawal intensity.