Water withdrawals per capita in Uganda
Uganda: Water withdrawals per capita was 13.09 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Latest (2023)
13.09 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
176th
of 180 countries
All-time high
20.86 cubic meters per person
in 2008
All-time low
13.09 cubic meters per person
in 2023
Years of data
54
1970–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Uganda, 1970–2023
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 Uganda is 13.09 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 54 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and down 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Uganda peaked at 20.86 cubic meters per person in 2008 and was at its lowest, 13.09 cubic meters per person, in 2023.
Uganda ranks 176th of 180 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Uganda, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 19.38 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1971 | 19.24 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 1972 | 19.17 cubic meters per person | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 19.11 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 19.02 cubic meters per person | -0.5% |
| 1975 | 18.9 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 18.77 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 18.63 cubic meters per person | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 18.48 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 1979 | 18.37 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 1980 | 18.32 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 1981 | 18.26 cubic meters per person | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 18.15 cubic meters per person | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 18.01 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
| 1984 | 17.83 cubic meters per person | -1.0% |
| 1985 | 17.63 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 1986 | 17.4 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 17.14 cubic meters per person | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 16.86 cubic meters per person | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 16.58 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 16.3 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 1991 | 16.01 cubic meters per person | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 15.71 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 15.4 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 15.1 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 14.9 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 14.71 cubic meters per person | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 14.49 cubic meters per person | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 14.25 cubic meters per person | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 13.99 cubic meters per person | -1.9% |
| 2000 | 13.73 cubic meters per person | -1.8% |
| 2001 | 13.97 cubic meters per person | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 14.16 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 15.46 cubic meters per person | +9.2% |
| 2004 | 16.7 cubic meters per person | +8.0% |
| 2005 | 17.85 cubic meters per person | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 18.93 cubic meters per person | +6.0% |
| 2007 | 19.93 cubic meters per person | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 20.86 cubic meters per person | +4.6% |
| 2009 | 20.25 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 19.67 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 2011 | 19.1 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 2012 | 18.55 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 18.03 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
| 2014 | 17.5 cubic meters per person | -2.9% |
| 2015 | 16.97 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 16.42 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2017 | 15.85 cubic meters per person | -3.4% |
| 2018 | 15.33 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 14.81 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2020 | 14.33 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 2021 | 13.87 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2022 | 13.46 cubic meters per person | -3.0% |
| 2023 | 13.09 cubic meters per person | -2.8% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 13.09 cubic meters per person is below the median for low income countries, which is 64.29 cubic meters per person, 20% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 13.09 cubic meters per person is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 22% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 18.91 cubic meters per person | 18.37 cubic meters per person | 19.38 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.62 cubic meters per person | 16.58 cubic meters per person | 18.32 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.09 cubic meters per person | 13.99 cubic meters per person | 16.3 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.19 cubic meters per person | 13.73 cubic meters per person | 20.86 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.22 cubic meters per person | 14.81 cubic meters per person | 19.67 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.69 cubic meters per person | 13.09 cubic meters per person | 14.33 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 173 Djibouti 16.48 cubic meters per person compare
- 174 Congo 14.83 cubic meters per person compare
- 175 Central African Republic 14.07 cubic meters per person compare
- 177 Comoros 11.76 cubic meters per person compare
- 178 Maldives 11.22 cubic meters per person compare
- 179 Equatorial Guinea 10.72 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Uganda
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -11.7 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -12.54 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.255 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.23 % 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 1.38 % 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 Uganda?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Uganda was 13.09 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 20.86 cubic meters per person in 2008.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.09 cubic meters per person in 2023.
- How does Uganda rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Uganda ranks 176th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.