Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in New Zealand
New Zealand: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of was 8.05 in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in New Zealand, 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 New Zealand is 8.05, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 43 years on record.
The figure is up 31.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in New Zealand peaked at 8.05 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.978, in 1980.
New Zealand ranks 101st of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.978 | — |
| 1981 | 1.09 | +11.7% |
| 1982 | 1.21 | +10.4% |
| 1983 | 1.32 | +9.5% |
| 1984 | 1.43 | +8.6% |
| 1985 | 1.55 | +8.0% |
| 1986 | 1.62 | +4.7% |
| 1987 | 1.69 | +4.5% |
| 1988 | 1.77 | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 1.84 | +4.1% |
| 1990 | 1.91 | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 1.98 | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 2.05 | +3.6% |
| 1993 | 2.13 | +3.5% |
| 1994 | 2.2 | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 2.27 | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 2.34 | +3.2% |
| 1997 | 2.41 | +3.1% |
| 1998 | 2.49 | +3.0% |
| 1999 | 2.56 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 2.76 | +8.0% |
| 2001 | 2.97 | +7.4% |
| 2002 | 3.18 | +6.9% |
| 2003 | 3.38 | +6.5% |
| 2004 | 3.59 | +6.1% |
| 2005 | 3.79 | +5.7% |
| 2006 | 4 | +5.4% |
| 2007 | 4.06 | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 4.12 | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 4.18 | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 4.24 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 5.19 | +22.5% |
| 2012 | 6.14 | +18.3% |
| 2013 | 7.1 | +15.5% |
| 2014 | 8.05 | +13.4% |
| 2015 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 8.05 | +0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 8.05 is below the median for high income countries, which is 14.35, 56% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 8.05 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 13.09, 61% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1.45 | 0.978 | 1.84 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.23 | 1.91 | 2.56 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6 | 2.76 | 4.18 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.1 | 4.24 | 8.05 | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.05 | 8.05 | 8.05 | 3 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More environment data for New Zealand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2131 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.379 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Nutrient potash K2O (total) — Agricultural Use, gaps filled 132,218 t (2024)
- Nutrient potash K2O (total) — Agricultural Use, annual growth rate 20.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Country area — Area, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Country area — Area, per unit of GDP 0 1000 ha per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Country area — Area, per capita 0.0051 1000 ha per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in New Zealand?
- Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of in New Zealand was 8.05 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 8.05 in 2014.
- What is the lowest level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.978 in 1980.
- How does New Zealand rank for level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of?
- New Zealand ranks 101st out of 178 countries with data for 2022.
- Is level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.