This map shows total water withdrawal per capita by country. Water withdrawal is the quantity of water removed from available sources for use in any purpose. Water drawn-off is not necessarily entirely consumed and some portion may be returned for further use downstream.
World average total water withdrawal: ~506 m³/inhabitant/year ( 506,000 liters each person )
Calculation
[Total water withdrawal per capita] = [Total water withdrawal (summed by withdrawn for agricultural, industrial and municipal purposes)] / [Total population]
Note:
- It includes renewable freshwater resources as well as potential over-abstraction of renewable groundwater or withdrawal of fossil groundwater and eventual use of desalinated water or treated wastewater.
- It does not include other categories of water use, such as for cooling of power plants, mining, recreation, navigation, fisheries, etc., which are sectors that are characterized by a very low net consumption rate.
13 years ago