Water withdrawals per capita in Malaysia
Malaysia: Water withdrawals per capita was 156.24 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
156.24 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
122nd
of 180 countries
All-time high
567.31 cubic meters per person
in 1990
All-time low
156.24 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Malaysia, 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 Malaysia stood at 156.24 cubic meters per person. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 14.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Malaysia peaked at 567.31 cubic meters per person in 1990 and was at its lowest, 156.24 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
That places Malaysia 122nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 567.31 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1991 | 511.62 cubic meters per person | -9.8% |
| 1992 | 459.35 cubic meters per person | -10.2% |
| 1993 | 409.83 cubic meters per person | -10.8% |
| 1994 | 362.58 cubic meters per person | -11.5% |
| 1995 | 317.44 cubic meters per person | -12.4% |
| 1996 | 263.21 cubic meters per person | -17.1% |
| 1997 | 256.75 cubic meters per person | -2.5% |
| 1998 | 250.52 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 244.61 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 238.94 cubic meters per person | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 233.27 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 227.69 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 222.37 cubic meters per person | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 217.29 cubic meters per person | -2.3% |
| 2005 | 212.42 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 207.74 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2007 | 203.27 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2008 | 199.06 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 195.13 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 191.51 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 188.19 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 185.01 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 181.88 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 178.78 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 175.71 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2016 | 172.63 cubic meters per person | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 169.62 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 166.75 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 164.11 cubic meters per person | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 161.94 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 160.08 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 158.18 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2023 | 156.24 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 156.24 cubic meters per person is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 450.42 cubic meters per person, 35% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 156.24 cubic meters per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 570.08 cubic meters per person, 27% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 364.32 cubic meters per person | 244.61 cubic meters per person | 567.31 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 215.72 cubic meters per person | 195.13 cubic meters per person | 238.94 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 177.42 cubic meters per person | 164.11 cubic meters per person | 191.51 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 159.11 cubic meters per person | 156.24 cubic meters per person | 161.94 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 119 Denmark 165.56 cubic meters per person compare
- 120 Jamaica 162.98 cubic meters per person compare
- 121 Belarus 157.42 cubic meters per person compare
- 123 Honduras 150.97 cubic meters per person compare
- 124 Ukraine 150.19 cubic meters per person compare
- 125 Mongolia 134.74 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Malaysia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.65 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.9 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.179 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.25 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.446 % 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) 5.03 % 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 Malaysia?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Malaysia was 156.24 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 Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 567.31 cubic meters per person in 1990.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 156.24 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Malaysia rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Malaysia ranks 122nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.