Water withdrawals per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Water withdrawals per capita was 523.34 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
523.34 cubic meters per person
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
56th
of 180 countries
All-time high
616.57 cubic meters per person
in 2002
All-time low
466.64 cubic meters per person
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in South Korea, 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 South Korea stood at 523.34 cubic meters per person.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 5.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in South Korea peaked at 616.57 cubic meters per person in 2002 and was at its lowest, 466.64 cubic meters per person, in 1990.
That places South Korea 56th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
Water withdrawals per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 466.64 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1991 | 479.27 cubic meters per person | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 493.27 cubic meters per person | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 506.92 cubic meters per person | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 520.33 cubic meters per person | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 531.98 cubic meters per person | +2.2% |
| 1996 | 543.13 cubic meters per person | +2.1% |
| 1997 | 553.75 cubic meters per person | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 559.16 cubic meters per person | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 555.13 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 551.18 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 583.93 cubic meters per person | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 616.57 cubic meters per person | +5.6% |
| 2003 | 598.98 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 584.88 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 610.22 cubic meters per person | +4.3% |
| 2006 | 570.25 cubic meters per person | -6.5% |
| 2007 | 569.09 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 567.85 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2009 | 566.49 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 564.76 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 561.49 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 556.99 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 552.58 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 548.29 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 528.83 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2016 | 527.94 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2017 | 526 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 524.43 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 523.14 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 522.23 cubic meters per person | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 522.33 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 523 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 523.34 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 523.34 cubic meters per person is above the median for high income countries, which is 376.78 cubic meters per person, 1.4× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 523.34 cubic meters per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 570.08 cubic meters per person, 92% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 520.96 cubic meters per person | 466.64 cubic meters per person | 559.16 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 581.94 cubic meters per person | 551.18 cubic meters per person | 616.57 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 541.44 cubic meters per person | 523.14 cubic meters per person | 564.76 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 522.72 cubic meters per person | 522.23 cubic meters per person | 523.34 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
- 53 Ecuador 551.61 cubic meters per person compare
- 54 Sudan 538.24 cubic meters per person compare
- 55 India 529.18 cubic meters per person compare
- 57 Cape Verde 506.82 cubic meters per person compare
- 58 Finland 499.73 cubic meters per person compare
- 59 Afghanistan 491.45 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -2.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in South Korea?
- Water withdrawals per capita in South Korea was 523.34 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 616.57 cubic meters per person in 2002.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 466.64 cubic meters per person in 1990.
- How does South Korea rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- South Korea ranks 56th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South 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.