Water withdrawals per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Water withdrawals per capita was 6.46 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
6.46 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 3.2%
World rank
180th
of 180 countries
All-time high
11.64 cubic meters per person
in 2004
All-time low
6.46 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
29
1995–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1995–2023
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 Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 6.46 cubic meters per person. That is the lowest value across all 29 years on record.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 28.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 11.64 cubic meters per person in 2004 and was at its lowest, 6.46 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 180th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 29 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 10.71 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1996 | 10.99 cubic meters per person | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 11.28 cubic meters per person | +2.7% |
| 1998 | 11.44 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 1999 | 11.5 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 11.56 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 11.59 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 11.61 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 11.63 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 11.64 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 11.63 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 11.28 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2007 | 10.94 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2008 | 10.62 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2009 | 10.29 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 9.97 cubic meters per person | -3.1% |
| 2011 | 9.65 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2012 | 9.33 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 9.02 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 8.72 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2015 | 8.44 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 8.14 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 7.85 cubic meters per person | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 7.59 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 7.35 cubic meters per person | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 7.12 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 6.89 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 6.68 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2023 | 6.46 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 6.46 cubic meters per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.29 cubic meters per person, 10% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 6.46 cubic meters per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 11% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.18 cubic meters per person | 10.71 cubic meters per person | 11.5 cubic meters per person | 5 |
| 2000s | 11.28 cubic meters per person | 10.29 cubic meters per person | 11.64 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.61 cubic meters per person | 7.35 cubic meters per person | 9.97 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.79 cubic meters per person | 6.46 cubic meters per person | 7.12 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More environment data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.91 % change on previous year (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual 4.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) (Mt) 0.4405 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Democratic Republic of Congo was 6.46 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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 11.64 cubic meters per person in 2004.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.46 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 180th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.