Water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh
Bangladesh: Water withdrawals per capita was 209.19 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh, 2008–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters per person.
Analysis
In 2023, water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh stood at 209.19 cubic meters per person. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh peaked at 239.97 cubic meters per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 209.19 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
Bangladesh ranks 108th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 239.97 cubic meters per person | — |
| 2009 | 237.75 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 235.67 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 233.54 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 231.31 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 229.15 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 227.08 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 225.06 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 223.06 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 221.17 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 219.36 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 217.51 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2020 | 215.7 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 213.95 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 211.77 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2023 | 209.19 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
Bangladesh compared with similar countries
- Bangladesh's 209.19 cubic meters per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Bangladesh's 209.19 cubic meters per person is below the median for South Asia, which is 374.82 cubic meters per person, 56% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 238.86 cubic meters per person | 237.75 cubic meters per person | 239.97 cubic meters per person | 2 |
| 2010s | 226.29 cubic meters per person | 217.51 cubic meters per person | 235.67 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 212.65 cubic meters per person | 209.19 cubic meters per person | 215.7 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bangladesh
- 105 Zambia 230.45 cubic meters per person compare
- 106 Cyprus 220.82 cubic meters per person compare
- 107 Mali 218.18 cubic meters per person compare
- 109 Brunei 200.46 cubic meters per person compare
- 110 Sweden 195.99 cubic meters per person compare
- 111 Switzerland 195.34 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Bangladesh
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.59 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.3 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.236 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.67 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.8754 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 3.08 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Bangladesh was 209.19 cubic meters per person in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Bangladesh?
- The highest recorded value was 239.97 cubic meters per person in 2008.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Bangladesh?
- The lowest recorded value was 209.19 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Bangladesh rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Bangladesh ranks 108th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Bangladesh?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bangladesh data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Water withdrawals per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.