Municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan
Pakistan: Municipal water withdrawal was 9.65 billion cubic meters in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
9.65 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
10th
of 183 countries
All-time high
9.65 billion cubic meters
in 2008
All-time low
1.53 billion cubic meters
in 1975
Years of data
49
1975–2023
Municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan, 1975–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan is 9.65 billion cubic meters, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 49 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan peaked at 9.65 billion cubic meters in 2008 and was at its lowest, 1.53 billion cubic meters, in 1975.
Pakistan ranks 10th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1.53 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1976 | 1.59 billion cubic meters | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 1.65 billion cubic meters | +3.8% |
| 1978 | 1.72 billion cubic meters | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 1.78 billion cubic meters | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 1.84 billion cubic meters | +3.4% |
| 1981 | 1.90 billion cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 1.96 billion cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 2.02 billion cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 2.08 billion cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 2.14 billion cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 2.20 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1987 | 2.26 billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.32 billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 2.38 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 2.44 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 2.50 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 2.93 billion cubic meters | +17.3% |
| 1993 | 3.36 billion cubic meters | +14.7% |
| 1994 | 3.80 billion cubic meters | +12.8% |
| 1995 | 4.23 billion cubic meters | +11.4% |
| 1996 | 4.66 billion cubic meters | +10.2% |
| 1997 | 5.09 billion cubic meters | +9.3% |
| 1998 | 5.53 billion cubic meters | +8.5% |
| 1999 | 5.96 billion cubic meters | +7.8% |
| 2000 | 6.39 billion cubic meters | +7.3% |
| 2001 | 6.71 billion cubic meters | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 7.03 billion cubic meters | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 7.36 billion cubic meters | +4.6% |
| 2004 | 7.68 billion cubic meters | +4.4% |
| 2005 | 8.00 billion cubic meters | +4.2% |
| 2006 | 8.55 billion cubic meters | +6.9% |
| 2007 | 9.10 billion cubic meters | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 9.65 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 9.65 billion cubic meters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 245.90 million cubic meters, 39.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Pakistan's 9.65 billion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 700.00 million cubic meters, 13.8× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.65 billion cubic meters | 1.53 billion cubic meters | 1.78 billion cubic meters | 5 |
| 1980s | 2.11 billion cubic meters | 1.84 billion cubic meters | 2.38 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.05 billion cubic meters | 2.44 billion cubic meters | 5.96 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.01 billion cubic meters | 6.39 billion cubic meters | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 9.65 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More environment data for Pakistan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -10.53 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.373 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.7034 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 3.1 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan?
- Municipal water withdrawal in Pakistan was 9.65 billion cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest municipal water withdrawal recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 9.65 billion cubic meters in 2008.
- What is the lowest municipal water withdrawal recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 billion cubic meters in 1975.
- How does Pakistan rank for municipal water withdrawal?
- Pakistan ranks 10th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal water withdrawal rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Municipal water withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 49 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Water withdrawn each year for direct use by the population, usually measured as the total supplied by the public distribution network.