Water withdrawals per capita in Rwanda
Rwanda: Water withdrawals per capita was 43.07 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
43.07 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 2.2%
World rank
160th
of 180 countries
All-time high
47.75 cubic meters per person
in 2019
All-time low
18.26 cubic meters per person
in 2000
Years of data
24
2000–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Rwanda, 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
Rwanda recorded 43.07 cubic meters per person for water withdrawals per capita in 2023.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Rwanda peaked at 47.75 cubic meters per person in 2019 and was at its lowest, 18.26 cubic meters per person, in 2000.
Rwanda ranks 160th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 18.26 cubic meters per person | — |
| 2001 | 20.56 cubic meters per person | +12.6% |
| 2002 | 22.7 cubic meters per person | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 24.58 cubic meters per person | +8.3% |
| 2004 | 26.25 cubic meters per person | +6.8% |
| 2005 | 27.81 cubic meters per person | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 29.75 cubic meters per person | +7.0% |
| 2007 | 31.57 cubic meters per person | +6.1% |
| 2008 | 33.29 cubic meters per person | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 34.92 cubic meters per person | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 36.46 cubic meters per person | +4.4% |
| 2011 | 37.93 cubic meters per person | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 39.33 cubic meters per person | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 40.63 cubic meters per person | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 41.85 cubic meters per person | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 43 cubic meters per person | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 44.08 cubic meters per person | +2.5% |
| 2017 | 45.1 cubic meters per person | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 46.05 cubic meters per person | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 47.75 cubic meters per person | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 45.96 cubic meters per person | -3.7% |
| 2021 | 45 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2022 | 44.03 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 43.07 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 43.07 cubic meters per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.29 cubic meters per person, 67% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 43.07 cubic meters per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 26.97 cubic meters per person | 18.26 cubic meters per person | 34.92 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.22 cubic meters per person | 36.46 cubic meters per person | 47.75 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.51 cubic meters per person | 43.07 cubic meters per person | 45.96 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 157 Chad 45.53 cubic meters per person compare
- 158 Mozambique 43.79 cubic meters per person compare
- 159 Ghana 43.35 cubic meters per person compare
- 161 Cameroon 38.36 cubic meters per person compare
- 162 Papua New Guinea 37.74 cubic meters per person compare
- 163 Gambia 37.66 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Rwanda
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate -31.63 % change on previous year (2013)
- Standard Deviation 0.268 °C (2013)
- Temperature change 1.35 °C (2013)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.0911 % 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 Rwanda?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Rwanda was 43.07 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 Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 47.75 cubic meters per person in 2019.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.26 cubic meters per person in 2000.
- How does Rwanda rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Rwanda ranks 160th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda 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.