Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Africa
South Africa: Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal was 17.1 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2022. ▲ Rising
Water productivity, GDP per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Africa, 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
In 2022, water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Africa stood at 17.1 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal.
That represents a change of up 1.0% on the previous year and down 20.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Africa peaked at 23.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2013 and was at its lowest, 13.66 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal, in 1992.
South Africa ranks 105th of 179 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.94 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 13.66 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 16.63 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.22 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 17.41 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 21.28 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.96 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 17.97 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 23.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.88 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 16.61 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 17.1 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 102 Chad 18.1 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 103 Albania 18.05 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 104 Paraguay 17.38 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 106 Zambia 16.65 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 107 Georgia 16.47 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
- 108 Honduras 16.16 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal compare
More environment data for South Africa
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 569.81 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 8.9 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 25.85 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 1.31 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 40 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.1686 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 93.23 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.055 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.1946 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 25.44 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Africa?
- Water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal in South Africa was 17.1 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 Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 23.62 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 2013.
- What is the lowest water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.66 constant 2015 US$ GDP per cubic meter of total freshwater withdrawal in 1992.
- How does South Africa rank for water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal?
- South Africa ranks 105th out of 179 countries with data for 2022.
- Is water productivity, gdp per cubic meter of freshwater withdrawal rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.