Water withdrawals per capita in North Korea
North Korea: Water withdrawals per capita was 327.72 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
327.72 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
80th
of 180 countries
All-time high
361.52 cubic meters per person
in 2000
All-time low
327.72 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in North Korea, 2000–2023
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 North Korea is 327.72 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in North Korea peaked at 361.52 cubic meters per person in 2000 and was at its lowest, 327.72 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
North Korea ranks 80th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in North Korea, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 361.52 cubic meters per person | — |
| 2001 | 360.11 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 359.02 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 357.69 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 356.11 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 354.88 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 353.03 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 351.28 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 349.6 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 348.01 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 346.49 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 344.96 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 343.4 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 341.81 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 340.17 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 338.52 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 336.9 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 335.34 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 333.88 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 332.51 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 331.26 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 330.04 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 328.83 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 327.72 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 327.72 cubic meters per person is above the median for low income countries, which is 64.29 cubic meters per person, 5.1× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 327.72 cubic meters per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 570.08 cubic meters per person, 57% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 355.12 cubic meters per person | 348.01 cubic meters per person | 361.52 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 339.4 cubic meters per person | 332.51 cubic meters per person | 346.49 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 329.46 cubic meters per person | 327.72 cubic meters per person | 331.26 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 77 Georgia 339.69 cubic meters per person compare
- 78 Saint Kitts and Nevis 333.63 cubic meters per person compare
- 79 South Africa 330.15 cubic meters per person compare
- 81 El Salvador 323.09 cubic meters per person compare
- 82 Nepal 319.83 cubic meters per person compare
- 83 Lebanon 318.7 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for North Korea
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 3.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.89 Percentage change (2025)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) 0.8843 % change on previous year (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Industrial Processes (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e) 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt) 0.9455 % change on previous year (2024)
- Heating Degree Days 6,917 (2024)
- Cooling Degree Days 854.46 (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual -0.97 % change on previous year (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0.7752 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in North Korea?
- Water withdrawals per capita in North Korea was 327.72 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 North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 361.52 cubic meters per person in 2000.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 327.72 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does North Korea rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- North Korea ranks 80th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in North Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this North Korea 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.