Water withdrawals per capita in Kenya
Kenya: Water withdrawals per capita was 91.26 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
91.26 cubic meters per person
Change on year
up 4.0%
World rank
142nd
of 180 countries
All-time high
91.26 cubic meters per person
in 2023
All-time low
50.91 cubic meters per person
in 2000
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Kenya, 1990–2023
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 Kenya stood at 91.26 cubic meters per person. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Kenya peaked at 91.26 cubic meters per person in 2023 and was at its lowest, 50.91 cubic meters per person, in 2000.
That places Kenya 142nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Kenya, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 89.5 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1991 | 84.58 cubic meters per person | -5.5% |
| 1992 | 80.02 cubic meters per person | -5.4% |
| 1993 | 75.74 cubic meters per person | -5.4% |
| 1994 | 71.68 cubic meters per person | -5.4% |
| 1995 | 67.83 cubic meters per person | -5.4% |
| 1996 | 64.2 cubic meters per person | -5.4% |
| 1997 | 60.73 cubic meters per person | -5.4% |
| 1998 | 57.38 cubic meters per person | -5.5% |
| 1999 | 54.11 cubic meters per person | -5.7% |
| 2000 | 50.91 cubic meters per person | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 57.35 cubic meters per person | +12.7% |
| 2002 | 63.34 cubic meters per person | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 68.94 cubic meters per person | +8.8% |
| 2004 | 70.53 cubic meters per person | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 71.98 cubic meters per person | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 73.29 cubic meters per person | +1.8% |
| 2007 | 74.49 cubic meters per person | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 75.53 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 2009 | 76.46 cubic meters per person | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 77.36 cubic meters per person | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 75.27 cubic meters per person | -2.7% |
| 2012 | 73.34 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 2013 | 71.56 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2014 | 69.91 cubic meters per person | -2.3% |
| 2015 | 68.38 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2016 | 83.76 cubic meters per person | +22.5% |
| 2017 | 81.91 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 80.23 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2019 | 78.63 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2020 | 77.06 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2021 | 75.57 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 87.76 cubic meters per person | +16.1% |
| 2023 | 91.26 cubic meters per person | +4.0% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 91.26 cubic meters per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 51% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 91.26 cubic meters per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 1.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 70.58 cubic meters per person | 54.11 cubic meters per person | 89.5 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.28 cubic meters per person | 50.91 cubic meters per person | 76.46 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.03 cubic meters per person | 68.38 cubic meters per person | 83.76 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 82.91 cubic meters per person | 75.57 cubic meters per person | 91.26 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More environment data for Kenya
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -8.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -4.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.27 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.12 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.39 % 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) 0 % 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 Kenya?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Kenya was 91.26 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 Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 91.26 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.91 cubic meters per person in 2000.
- How does Kenya rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Kenya ranks 142nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kenya 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.
Download this data
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for agriculture, industry, and municipal uses, divided by the population.