Water withdrawals per capita in Brazil
Brazil: Water withdrawals per capita was 306.9 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
306.9 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 5.0%
World rank
86th
of 180 countries
All-time high
386.31 cubic meters per person
in 2010
All-time low
248.33 cubic meters per person
in 1987
Years of data
37
1987–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Brazil, 1987–2023
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 Brazil is 306.9 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 5.0% on the previous year and down 9.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Brazil peaked at 386.31 cubic meters per person in 2010 and was at its lowest, 248.33 cubic meters per person, in 1987.
Brazil ranks 86th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Brazil, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 248.33 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1988 | 258.95 cubic meters per person | +4.3% |
| 1989 | 269.25 cubic meters per person | +4.0% |
| 1990 | 279.26 cubic meters per person | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 289.03 cubic meters per person | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 298.54 cubic meters per person | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 307.79 cubic meters per person | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 316.85 cubic meters per person | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 325.63 cubic meters per person | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 334.16 cubic meters per person | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 331.15 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 328.15 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 325.27 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 322.67 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 320.3 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 318.14 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 316.18 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 314.38 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 312.69 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 311.11 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 330.2 cubic meters per person | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 349.06 cubic meters per person | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 367.76 cubic meters per person | +5.4% |
| 2010 | 386.31 cubic meters per person | +5.0% |
| 2011 | 370.64 cubic meters per person | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 355.2 cubic meters per person | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 339.99 cubic meters per person | -4.3% |
| 2014 | 325.01 cubic meters per person | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 316.63 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 326.3 cubic meters per person | +3.1% |
| 2017 | 320.85 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 322.65 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 325.08 cubic meters per person | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 321.38 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 321.21 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 323.02 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 306.9 cubic meters per person | -5.0% |
Brazil compared with similar countries
- Brazil's 306.9 cubic meters per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 450.42 cubic meters per person, 68% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Brazil's 306.9 cubic meters per person is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 323.09 cubic meters per person, 95% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 258.84 cubic meters per person | 248.33 cubic meters per person | 269.25 cubic meters per person | 3 |
| 1990s | 313.58 cubic meters per person | 279.26 cubic meters per person | 334.16 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 326.25 cubic meters per person | 311.11 cubic meters per person | 367.76 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 338.87 cubic meters per person | 316.63 cubic meters per person | 386.31 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 318.13 cubic meters per person | 306.9 cubic meters per person | 323.02 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Brazil
More environment data for Brazil
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -6.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -8.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.221 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.36 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.155 % 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 -2.73 % 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 Brazil?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Brazil was 306.9 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 Brazil?
- The highest recorded value was 386.31 cubic meters per person in 2010.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Brazil?
- The lowest recorded value was 248.33 cubic meters per person in 1987.
- How does Brazil rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Brazil ranks 86th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Brazil?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Brazil 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.