Water withdrawals per capita in Iran
Iran: Water withdrawals per capita was 1,030 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
1,030 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
14th
of 180 countries
All-time high
1,339 cubic meters per person
in 2003
All-time low
1,030 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
49
1975–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Iran, 1975–2023
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 Iran is 1,030 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Iran peaked at 1,339 cubic meters per person in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1,030 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
Iran ranks 14th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 49 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Iran, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 1,331 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1976 | 1,332 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1,330 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 1,324 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 1979 | 1,316 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 1,304 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1,270 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 1,236 cubic meters per person | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 1,219 cubic meters per person | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 1,203 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 1,188 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 1,172 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 1,157 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 1,145 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 1,137 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 1,128 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 1991 | 1,121 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 1,122 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 1,141 cubic meters per person | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 1,244 cubic meters per person | +9.0% |
| 1995 | 1,334 cubic meters per person | +7.3% |
| 1996 | 1,337 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 1,339 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 1,338 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 1,335 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 1,332 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 1,330 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 1,337 cubic meters per person | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 1,339 cubic meters per person | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 1,328 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 1,299 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 1,271 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2007 | 1,251 cubic meters per person | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 1,236 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 1,220 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 1,205 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 1,190 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 1,176 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 1,160 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 1,145 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 1,129 cubic meters per person | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 1,113 cubic meters per person | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 1,097 cubic meters per person | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 1,083 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 1,072 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 1,064 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 1,055 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2022 | 1,042 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 1,030 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 1,030 cubic meters per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 450.42 cubic meters per person, 2.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Iran's 1,030 cubic meters per person is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 315.42 cubic meters per person, 3.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,327 cubic meters per person | 1,316 cubic meters per person | 1,332 cubic meters per person | 5 |
| 1980s | 1,203 cubic meters per person | 1,137 cubic meters per person | 1,304 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,244 cubic meters per person | 1,121 cubic meters per person | 1,339 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,294 cubic meters per person | 1,220 cubic meters per person | 1,339 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,137 cubic meters per person | 1,072 cubic meters per person | 1,205 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,048 cubic meters per person | 1,030 cubic meters per person | 1,064 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Iran
- 11 Kyrgyzstan 1,083 cubic meters per person compare
- 12 Iraq 1,071 cubic meters per person compare
- 13 Armenia 1,044 cubic meters per person compare
- 15 Puerto Rico 1,010 cubic meters per person compare
- 16 Suriname 979.35 cubic meters per person compare
- 17 New Zealand 960.21 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Iran
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -30.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -21.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 6.21 % 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) 4.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2318 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Iran?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Iran was 1,030 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 1,339 cubic meters per person in 2003.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,030 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Iran rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Iran ranks 14th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Iran 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.