Water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland
Switzerland: Water withdrawals per capita was 195.34 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
195.34 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
111th
of 180 countries
All-time high
413.03 cubic meters per person
in 1977
All-time low
195.34 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
49
1975–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland, 1975–2023
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
The most recent figure for water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland is 195.34 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 49 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland peaked at 413.03 cubic meters per person in 1977 and was at its lowest, 195.34 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
That places Switzerland 111th 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 49 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 409.87 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1976 | 411.93 cubic meters per person | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 413.03 cubic meters per person | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 412.7 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 1979 | 411.58 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 409.66 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 409.22 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 408.62 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 408.64 cubic meters per person | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 408.95 cubic meters per person | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 408.9 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 407.86 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 406.37 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 404.45 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 402.24 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 399.36 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 1991 | 395.47 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 392 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 384.51 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 1994 | 377.57 cubic meters per person | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 371.2 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 365.7 cubic meters per person | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 360.97 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 358.75 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 355.9 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 2000 | 352.78 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 349.58 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 345.94 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 336.36 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2004 | 327.1 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 318.1 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 309.25 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2007 | 299.71 cubic meters per person | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 289.21 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 278.99 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2010 | 269.3 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 259.8 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2012 | 250.63 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 212.55 cubic meters per person | -15.2% |
| 2014 | 208.03 cubic meters per person | -2.1% |
| 2015 | 209.54 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 207.14 cubic meters per person | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 205.09 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 207.58 cubic meters per person | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 201.78 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 201.58 cubic meters per person | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 197.17 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 197.08 cubic meters per person | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 195.34 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 195.34 cubic meters per person is below the median for high income countries, which is 376.78 cubic meters per person, 52% of the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 195.34 cubic meters per person is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 419.39 cubic meters per person, 47% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 411.82 cubic meters per person | 409.87 cubic meters per person | 413.03 cubic meters per person | 5 |
| 1980s | 407.49 cubic meters per person | 402.24 cubic meters per person | 409.66 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 376.14 cubic meters per person | 355.9 cubic meters per person | 399.36 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 320.7 cubic meters per person | 278.99 cubic meters per person | 352.78 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 223.14 cubic meters per person | 201.78 cubic meters per person | 269.3 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 197.8 cubic meters per person | 195.34 cubic meters per person | 201.58 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 108 Bangladesh 209.19 cubic meters per person compare
- 109 Brunei 200.46 cubic meters per person compare
- 110 Sweden 195.99 cubic meters per person compare
- 112 Nicaragua 186.79 cubic meters per person compare
- 113 Guatemala 183.4 cubic meters per person compare
- 114 Bolivia 180.08 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Switzerland
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2925 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.4333 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.458 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.33 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 11.97 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.2741 % 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 0.0914 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Switzerland was 195.34 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 Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 413.03 cubic meters per person in 1977.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 195.34 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Switzerland rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Switzerland ranks 111th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland 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.