Water withdrawals per capita in Ghana
Ghana: Water withdrawals per capita was 43.35 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
43.35 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 1.9%
World rank
159th
of 180 countries
All-time high
50.13 cubic meters per person
in 2015
All-time low
33.61 cubic meters per person
in 1970
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Ghana, 1970–2023
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 Ghana stood at 43.35 cubic meters per person.
The figure is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Ghana peaked at 50.13 cubic meters per person in 2015 and was at its lowest, 33.61 cubic meters per person, in 1970.
Ghana ranks 159th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 54 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Ghana, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 33.61 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1971 | 35.17 cubic meters per person | +4.6% |
| 1972 | 36.6 cubic meters per person | +4.1% |
| 1973 | 37.9 cubic meters per person | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 39.09 cubic meters per person | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 40.18 cubic meters per person | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 41.19 cubic meters per person | +2.5% |
| 1977 | 42.08 cubic meters per person | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 42.84 cubic meters per person | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 43.51 cubic meters per person | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 44.16 cubic meters per person | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 44.79 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 45.3 cubic meters per person | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 45.71 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 1984 | 46.24 cubic meters per person | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 46.92 cubic meters per person | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 47.53 cubic meters per person | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 48.04 cubic meters per person | +1.1% |
| 1988 | 48.45 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 48.77 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 1990 | 49.02 cubic meters per person | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 49.24 cubic meters per person | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 49.44 cubic meters per person | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 49.6 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 49.76 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 49.91 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 50.03 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 50.1 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 50.11 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 50.09 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 50.01 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 50.04 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 49.99 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 49.93 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 49.87 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 49.78 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 49.68 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 49.57 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 49.44 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 49.32 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 49.2 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 49.18 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 49.21 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 48.84 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 48.53 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 50.13 cubic meters per person | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 49.89 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 48.81 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 47.8 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 46.85 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 45.93 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 45.04 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 44.18 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 2023 | 43.35 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 43.35 cubic meters per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 24% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 43.35 cubic meters per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 73% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 39.22 cubic meters per person | 33.61 cubic meters per person | 43.51 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 46.59 cubic meters per person | 44.16 cubic meters per person | 48.77 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.73 cubic meters per person | 49.02 cubic meters per person | 50.11 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.76 cubic meters per person | 49.32 cubic meters per person | 50.04 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 48.84 cubic meters per person | 46.85 cubic meters per person | 50.13 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.62 cubic meters per person | 43.35 cubic meters per person | 45.93 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
- 156 Nigeria 54.74 cubic meters per person compare
- 157 Chad 45.53 cubic meters per person compare
- 158 Mozambique 43.79 cubic meters per person compare
- 160 Rwanda 43.07 cubic meters per person compare
- 161 Cameroon 38.36 cubic meters per person compare
- 162 Papua New Guinea 37.74 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Ghana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -13.57 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -11.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.26 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.34 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2663 % 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) 9.09 % 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 Ghana?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Ghana was 43.35 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 Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 50.13 cubic meters per person in 2015.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.61 cubic meters per person in 1970.
- How does Ghana rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Ghana ranks 159th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ghana 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.