Global water withdrawals by region

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)

Characteristic	Withdrawals in cubic kilometers per year
-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-
-	-

Download

Source

Show detailed source information?

Already a member?

Source

Use Ask Statista Research Service

Release date

2022

More information

Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

2018

Supplementary notes

*Annual quantity of water withdrawn for agricultural, industrial and municipal purposes.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]

Citation formats