Water withdrawals per capita in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Water withdrawals per capita was 563.57 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
563.57 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
52nd
of 180 countries
All-time high
674.37 cubic meters per person
in 2000
All-time low
563.57 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Sri Lanka, 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 Sri Lanka stood at 563.57 cubic meters per person. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 7.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Sri Lanka peaked at 674.37 cubic meters per person in 2000 and was at its lowest, 563.57 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
That places Sri Lanka 52nd 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 Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 597.4 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1991 | 612.62 cubic meters per person | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 622.33 cubic meters per person | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 630.89 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 640.53 cubic meters per person | +1.5% |
| 1995 | 648.47 cubic meters per person | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 654.23 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 659.69 cubic meters per person | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 664.78 cubic meters per person | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 669.65 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 674.37 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 663.13 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2002 | 655.61 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 650.17 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 645.12 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 640.37 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 636.09 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 631.74 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 627.55 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 623.71 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 620.05 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 616.21 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 611.54 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 606.12 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 600.81 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 595.77 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 590.85 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 586.12 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 581.76 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 577.67 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 573.8 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 570.3 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 566.94 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 563.57 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 563.57 cubic meters per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 450.42 cubic meters per person, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 563.57 cubic meters per person is above the median for South Asia, which is 374.82 cubic meters per person, 1.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 640.06 cubic meters per person | 597.4 cubic meters per person | 669.65 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 644.79 cubic meters per person | 623.71 cubic meters per person | 674.37 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 598.69 cubic meters per person | 577.67 cubic meters per person | 620.05 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 568.65 cubic meters per person | 563.57 cubic meters per person | 573.8 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.63 % 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 1.22 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Sri Lanka was 563.57 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 674.37 cubic meters per person in 2000.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 563.57 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Sri Lanka ranks 52nd out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.