Annual water withdrawals in Asia amounted to more than 2.5 trillion cubic meters as of 2018. This was by far the largest regional withdrawals of water worldwide. The majority of Asia's water withdrawals are for the agricultural sector. In comparison, water withdrawals in Europe are mainly for industrial purposes.
Annual water withdrawals worldwide as of 2018, by region*
(in billion cubic meters per year)
*Annual quantity of water withdrawn for agricultural, industrial and municipal purposes. It can include water from renewable freshwater resources, as well as water from over-abstraction of renewable groundwater or withdrawal from fossil groundwater, direct use of agricultural drainage water, direct use of (treated) wastewater, and desalinated water. It does not include in-stream uses, which are characterized by a very low net consumption rate, such as recreation, navigation, hydropower, inland capture fisheries, etc. [Total water withdrawal] = [Municipal water withdrawal]+[Industrial water withdrawal]+[Agricultural water withdrawal]
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FAO (Aquastat). (March 14, 2022). Annual water withdrawals worldwide as of 2018, by region* (in billion cubic meters per year) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/688173/global-water-withdrawals-by-region/
FAO (Aquastat). "Annual water withdrawals worldwide as of 2018, by region* (in billion cubic meters per year)." Chart. March 14, 2022. Statista. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/688173/global-water-withdrawals-by-region/
FAO (Aquastat). (2022). Annual water withdrawals worldwide as of 2018, by region* (in billion cubic meters per year). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 19, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/688173/global-water-withdrawals-by-region/
FAO (Aquastat). "Annual Water Withdrawals Worldwide as of 2018, by Region* (in Billion Cubic Meters per Year)." Statista, Statista Inc., 14 Mar 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/688173/global-water-withdrawals-by-region/
FAO (Aquastat), Annual water withdrawals worldwide as of 2018, by region* (in billion cubic meters per year) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/688173/global-water-withdrawals-by-region/ (last visited May 19, 2022)
