Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Korea
South Korea: Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal was 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022. ▲ Rising
Latest (2022)
63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
56th
of 179 countries
All-time high
63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
in 2022
All-time low
20.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal
in 1990
Years of data
33
1990–2022
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Korea, 1990–2022
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal for water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
The figure is up 2.7% on the previous year and up 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Korea peaked at 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022 and was at its lowest, 20.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, in 1990.
That places South Korea 56th out of 179 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Korea, year by year
| Year | constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 20.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | — |
| 1991 | 21.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.2% |
| 1992 | 22.26 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.0% |
| 1993 | 23.09 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 24.5 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.1% |
| 1995 | 26.11 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 27.4 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 28.33 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 26.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -7.6% |
| 1999 | 28.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +8.5% |
| 2000 | 30.17 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +6.3% |
| 2001 | 30.77 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 32.3 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 33.28 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 35 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.1% |
| 2005 | 36.51 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 38.43 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.2% |
| 2007 | 40.67 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 41.89 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 42.24 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 45.19 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +7.0% |
| 2011 | 46.85 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 48.05 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 49.63 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 51.22 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.2% |
| 2015 | 52.72 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 54.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 56.26 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.4% |
| 2018 | 58.04 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +3.2% |
| 2019 | 59.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 58.97 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 61.69 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | +2.7% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal is below the median for high income countries, which is 108.49 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, 58% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, 2.2× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 24.8 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 20.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 28.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.13 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 30.17 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 42.24 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.17 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 45.19 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 59.39 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.35 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 58.97 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 53 Slovenia 64.55 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 54 Papua New Guinea 64.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 55 Trinidad and Tobago 63.83 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 57 Italy 59.2 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 58 Japan 58.79 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 59 Cote d'Ivoire 58.25 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % 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 -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Korea?
- Water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Korea was 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 63.37 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022.
- What is the lowest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 20.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal?
- South Korea ranks 56th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization (AQUASTAT), World Bank, and OECD (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water productivity is calculated as total gross domestic product (GDP), measured in constant 2015 US$ divided by annual total water withdrawal.