Water withdrawals per capita in Zambia
Zambia: Water withdrawals per capita was 230.45 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
230.45 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
105th
of 180 countries
All-time high
234.28 cubic meters per person
in 2021
All-time low
152.82 cubic meters per person
in 2002
Years of data
32
1992–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Zambia, 1992–2023
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 Zambia is 230.45 cubic meters per person, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 6.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Zambia peaked at 234.28 cubic meters per person in 2021 and was at its lowest, 152.82 cubic meters per person, in 2002.
Zambia ranks 105th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 32 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Zambia, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 213.66 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1993 | 206.18 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 1994 | 198.92 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 1995 | 192.42 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 1996 | 186.05 cubic meters per person | -3.3% |
| 1997 | 179.68 cubic meters per person | -3.4% |
| 1998 | 173.41 cubic meters per person | -3.5% |
| 1999 | 167.24 cubic meters per person | -3.6% |
| 2000 | 161.07 cubic meters per person | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 156.93 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 2002 | 152.82 cubic meters per person | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 162.36 cubic meters per person | +6.2% |
| 2004 | 171.05 cubic meters per person | +5.4% |
| 2005 | 178.81 cubic meters per person | +4.5% |
| 2006 | 185.62 cubic meters per person | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 191.61 cubic meters per person | +3.2% |
| 2008 | 196.88 cubic meters per person | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 201.61 cubic meters per person | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 205.92 cubic meters per person | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 210 cubic meters per person | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 213.76 cubic meters per person | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 217.16 cubic meters per person | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 220.2 cubic meters per person | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 222.95 cubic meters per person | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 225.39 cubic meters per person | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 227.53 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 229.47 cubic meters per person | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 231.21 cubic meters per person | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 232.78 cubic meters per person | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 234.28 cubic meters per person | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 232.27 cubic meters per person | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 230.45 cubic meters per person | -0.8% |
Zambia compared with similar countries
- Zambia's 230.45 cubic meters per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 1.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zambia's 230.45 cubic meters per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 3.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 189.69 cubic meters per person | 167.24 cubic meters per person | 213.66 cubic meters per person | 8 |
| 2000s | 175.88 cubic meters per person | 152.82 cubic meters per person | 201.61 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 220.36 cubic meters per person | 205.92 cubic meters per person | 231.21 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 232.45 cubic meters per person | 230.45 cubic meters per person | 234.28 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 102 Belize 245.68 cubic meters per person compare
- 103 Saint Lucia 239.28 cubic meters per person compare
- 104 Algeria 237.44 cubic meters per person compare
- 106 Cyprus 220.82 cubic meters per person compare
- 107 Mali 218.18 cubic meters per person compare
- 108 Bangladesh 209.19 cubic meters per person compare
More environment data for Zambia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.265 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.11 °C (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.39 % 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 Zambia?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Zambia was 230.45 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 234.28 cubic meters per person in 2021.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 152.82 cubic meters per person in 2002.
- How does Zambia rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Zambia ranks 105th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zambia 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.