Water withdrawals per capita in Bhutan
Bhutan: Water withdrawals per capita was 429.81 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Water withdrawals per capita in Bhutan, 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
The most recent figure for water withdrawals per capita in Bhutan is 429.81 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 16 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and down 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Bhutan peaked at 492.46 cubic meters per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 429.81 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
That places Bhutan 67th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it 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 Bhutan, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 492.46 cubic meters per person | — |
| 2009 | 487.04 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 481.73 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 476.47 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 471.23 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 466.03 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 461.03 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 456.38 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 451.95 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 448.08 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 444.88 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 441.93 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 438.96 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 435.88 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 432.83 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 429.81 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 429.81 cubic meters per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 2.4× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 429.81 cubic meters per person is above the median for South Asia, which is 374.82 cubic meters per person, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 489.75 cubic meters per person | 487.04 cubic meters per person | 492.46 cubic meters per person | 2 |
| 2010s | 459.97 cubic meters per person | 441.93 cubic meters per person | 481.73 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 434.37 cubic meters per person | 429.81 cubic meters per person | 438.96 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 64 United Arab Emirates 462.27 cubic meters per person compare
- 65 Slovenia 447.51 cubic meters per person compare
- 66 Russia 445.68 cubic meters per person compare
- 68 China 426.13 cubic meters per person compare
- 69 Belgium 420.23 cubic meters per person compare
- 70 Romania 418.55 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Bhutan
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.2782 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.5977 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.257 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.08 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.487 % 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 -5.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Bhutan?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Bhutan was 429.81 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 492.46 cubic meters per person in 2008.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 429.81 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Bhutan rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Bhutan ranks 67th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bhutan 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.