Water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia
North Macedonia: Water withdrawals per capita was 1,486 cubic meters per person in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia, 1996–2023
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 North Macedonia stood at 1,486 cubic meters per person. That is the highest value across all 28 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 25.9% on the previous year and up 504.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia peaked at 1,486 cubic meters per person in 2023 and was at its lowest, 224.27 cubic meters per person, in 2015.
North Macedonia ranks 5th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 772.65 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1997 | 661.11 cubic meters per person | -14.4% |
| 1998 | 551.39 cubic meters per person | -16.6% |
| 1999 | 443.22 cubic meters per person | -19.6% |
| 2000 | 336.37 cubic meters per person | -24.1% |
| 2001 | 308.33 cubic meters per person | -8.3% |
| 2002 | 305.23 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 446.01 cubic meters per person | +46.1% |
| 2004 | 461.55 cubic meters per person | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 553.45 cubic meters per person | +19.9% |
| 2006 | 404.74 cubic meters per person | -26.9% |
| 2007 | 264.75 cubic meters per person | -34.6% |
| 2008 | 332.81 cubic meters per person | +25.7% |
| 2009 | 367.22 cubic meters per person | +10.3% |
| 2010 | 361.78 cubic meters per person | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 323.8 cubic meters per person | -10.5% |
| 2012 | 841.62 cubic meters per person | +159.9% |
| 2013 | 245.72 cubic meters per person | -70.8% |
| 2014 | 265.9 cubic meters per person | +8.2% |
| 2015 | 224.27 cubic meters per person | -15.7% |
| 2016 | 532.22 cubic meters per person | +137.3% |
| 2017 | 225.87 cubic meters per person | -57.6% |
| 2018 | 1,158 cubic meters per person | +412.8% |
| 2019 | 842.72 cubic meters per person | -27.2% |
| 2020 | 769.14 cubic meters per person | -8.7% |
| 2021 | 846.73 cubic meters per person | +10.1% |
| 2022 | 1,180 cubic meters per person | +39.4% |
| 2023 | 1,486 cubic meters per person | +25.9% |
North Macedonia compared with similar countries
- North Macedonia's 1,486 cubic meters per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 450.42 cubic meters per person, 3.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- North Macedonia's 1,486 cubic meters per person is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 419.39 cubic meters per person, 3.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +412.8% | 225.87 cubic meters per person | 1,158 cubic meters per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 607.09 cubic meters per person | 443.22 cubic meters per person | 772.65 cubic meters per person | 4 |
| 2000s | 378.05 cubic meters per person | 264.75 cubic meters per person | 553.45 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 502.21 cubic meters per person | 224.27 cubic meters per person | 1,158 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,070 cubic meters per person | 769.14 cubic meters per person | 1,486 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near North Macedonia
- 2 Turkmenistan 2,360 cubic meters per person compare
- 3 Guyana 1,748 cubic meters per person compare
- 4 Chile 1,647 cubic meters per person compare
- 6 United States 1,294 cubic meters per person compare
- 7 Uruguay 1,284 cubic meters per person compare
- 8 Azerbaijan 1,257 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for North Macedonia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.21 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.08 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.483 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.22 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -7.16 % 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 -10.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia?
- Water withdrawals per capita in North Macedonia was 1,486 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 Macedonia?
- The highest recorded value was 1,486 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in North Macedonia?
- The lowest recorded value was 224.27 cubic meters per person in 2015.
- How does North Macedonia rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- North Macedonia ranks 5th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in North Macedonia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 504.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North Macedonia 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.