Water withdrawals per capita in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Water withdrawals per capita was 300.45 cubic meters per person in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
300.45 cubic meters per person
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
88th
of 180 countries
All-time high
347.88 cubic meters per person
in 2002
All-time low
131.4 cubic meters per person
in 1987
Years of data
37
1987–2023
Water withdrawals per capita in Zimbabwe, 1987–2023
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 Zimbabwe stood at 300.45 cubic meters per person.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and up 22.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, water withdrawals per capita in Zimbabwe peaked at 347.88 cubic meters per person in 2002 and was at its lowest, 131.4 cubic meters per person, in 1987.
That places Zimbabwe 88th out of 180 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Water withdrawals per capita in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 131.4 cubic meters per person | — |
| 1988 | 148.07 cubic meters per person | +12.7% |
| 1989 | 164.02 cubic meters per person | +10.8% |
| 1990 | 179.24 cubic meters per person | +9.3% |
| 1991 | 193.76 cubic meters per person | +8.1% |
| 1992 | 206.96 cubic meters per person | +6.8% |
| 1993 | 222.28 cubic meters per person | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 240.32 cubic meters per person | +8.1% |
| 1995 | 256.23 cubic meters per person | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 269.84 cubic meters per person | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 282.33 cubic meters per person | +4.6% |
| 1998 | 294.02 cubic meters per person | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 306.19 cubic meters per person | +4.1% |
| 2000 | 320.13 cubic meters per person | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 334.62 cubic meters per person | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 347.88 cubic meters per person | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 333.38 cubic meters per person | -4.2% |
| 2004 | 319.51 cubic meters per person | -4.2% |
| 2005 | 306.33 cubic meters per person | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 292.57 cubic meters per person | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 278.82 cubic meters per person | -4.7% |
| 2008 | 273.8 cubic meters per person | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 268.32 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 262.39 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 256.18 cubic meters per person | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 250.48 cubic meters per person | -2.2% |
| 2013 | 245.42 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 240.54 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 235.83 cubic meters per person | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 232.99 cubic meters per person | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 225.43 cubic meters per person | -3.2% |
| 2018 | 250.85 cubic meters per person | +11.3% |
| 2019 | 277.4 cubic meters per person | +10.6% |
| 2020 | 316.2 cubic meters per person | +14.0% |
| 2021 | 310.79 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 305.54 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
| 2023 | 300.45 cubic meters per person | -1.7% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 300.45 cubic meters per person is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 178.62 cubic meters per person, 1.7× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 300.45 cubic meters per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59.54 cubic meters per person, 5.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 147.83 cubic meters per person | 131.4 cubic meters per person | 164.02 cubic meters per person | 3 |
| 1990s | 245.12 cubic meters per person | 179.24 cubic meters per person | 306.19 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 307.53 cubic meters per person | 268.32 cubic meters per person | 347.88 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 247.75 cubic meters per person | 225.43 cubic meters per person | 277.4 cubic meters per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 308.25 cubic meters per person | 300.45 cubic meters per person | 316.2 cubic meters per person | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
More environment data for Zimbabwe
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.311 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.06 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.19 % 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 1.53 % 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 Zimbabwe?
- Water withdrawals per capita in Zimbabwe was 300.45 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 347.88 cubic meters per person in 2002.
- What is the lowest water withdrawals per capita recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 131.4 cubic meters per person in 1987.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for water withdrawals per capita?
- Zimbabwe ranks 88th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is water withdrawals per capita rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.