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Water resources per capita — all countries

Water resources per capita — Low-income countries

Water resources per capita in low-income countries in 2022 — 3,206 m³/person. Since 1961, the indicator has fallen by 85%.

2022 3,206 m³/person −2.57% vs 2021
World rank —
Period maximum 21,392 m³/person1961
Period minimum 3,206 m³/person2022

Trend over time

1961–2022 · m³ per capita

Water resources per capita — Low-income countries, 1961–2022010,00020,00030,00019611968197519821989199620032010201720221961: 21,392 m³/person1963: 19,114 m³/person1965: 18,225 m³/person1967: 17,342 m³/person1969: 16,473 m³/person1971: 15,651 m³/person1973: 14,901 m³/person1975: 14,167 m³/person1977: 13,475 m³/person1979: 12,739 m³/person1981: 12,247 m³/person1983: 11,710 m³/person1985: 11,091 m³/person1987: 10,531 m³/person1989: 10,000 m³/person1991: 9,531 m³/person1993: 7,720 m³/person1995: 7,282 m³/person1997: 6,869 m³/person1999: 6,491 m³/person2001: 6,154 m³/person2003: 5,803 m³/person2005: 5,481 m³/person2007: 5,168 m³/person2009: 4,886 m³/person2011: 4,623 m³/person2013: 4,067 m³/person2015: 3,873 m³/person2017: 3,674 m³/person2019: 3,475 m³/person2021: 3,290 m³/person2022: 3,206 m³/person
Change over the period: −18,186 (−85.01%) Average annual rate: -3.06 %

Comparison, 2022

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Low-income countries

Low-income countries 3,206 m³/person
World 5,393 m³/person
Water resources per capita — Low-income countries, by year Low-income countries All countries CSV XLSX
Year m³/person Change Change, %
2022 3,206 −85 −2.57%
2021 3,290 −89 −2.64%
2020 3,380 −95 −2.75%
2019 3,475 −99 −2.78%
2018 3,574 −100 −2.71%
2017 3,674 −100 −2.64%
2016 3,774 −99 −2.55%
2015 3,873 −97 −2.44%
2014 3,969 −98 −2.41%
2013 4,067 −103 −2.47%
2012 4,171 −452 −9.79%
2011 4,623 −130 −2.73%
2010 4,753 −134 −2.74%
2009 4,886 −138 −2.76%
2008 5,025 −144 −2.78%
2007 5,168 −153 −2.87%
2006 5,321 −160 −2.92%
2005 5,481 −159 −2.82%
2004 5,640 −163 −2.81%
2003 5,803 −174 −2.92%
2002 5,977 −177 −2.87%
2001 6,154 −166 −2.63%
2000 6,320 −170 −2.63%
1999 6,491 −187 −2.8%
1998 6,677 −192 −2.79%
1997 6,869 −199 −2.82%
1996 7,068 −214 −2.94%
1995 7,282 −213 −2.84%
1994 7,495 −225 −2.91%
1993 7,720 −1,543 −16.66%
1992 9,263 −268 −2.81%
1991 9,531 −226 −2.32%
1990 9,757 −244 −2.44%
1989 10,000 −266 −2.59%
1988 10,266 −265 −2.52%
1987 10,531 −275 −2.54%
1986 10,806 −285 −2.57%
1985 11,091 −305 −2.67%
1984 11,396 −314 −2.68%
1983 11,710 −305 −2.54%
1982 12,015 −232 −1.9%
1981 12,247 −199 −1.6%
1980 12,446 −293 −2.3%
1979 12,739 −369 −2.82%
1978 13,108 −367 −2.72%
1977 13,475 −342 −2.48%
1976 13,818 −349 −2.47%
1975 14,167 −363 −2.5%
1974 14,530 −371 −2.49%
1973 14,901 −371 −2.43%
1972 15,272 −379 −2.42%
1971 15,651 −402 −2.5%
1970 16,053 −421 −2.55%
1969 16,473 −430 −2.55%
1968 16,904 −438 −2.52%
1967 17,342 −442 −2.49%
1966 17,784 −440 −2.42%
1965 18,225 −443 −2.37%
1964 18,668 −446 −2.33%
1963 19,114 −447 −2.29%
1962 19,561 −1,831 −8.56%
1961 21,392 — —

About the indicator

Internal renewable water resources divided by the population. This is the conventional measure of water scarcity: below 1,700 cubic meters per person a year indicates water stress, below 1,000 scarcity, and below 500 absolute scarcity. The value falls even where the water itself does not diminish — simply from population growth — and the series shows which countries are entering scarcity demographically.

Important: The aggregate for a group is all of its water resources divided by all of its population. The thresholds of 1,700, 1,000 and 500 m³ are widely used benchmarks, not an official classification.

Source: FAOSTAT (FAO), license CC BY 4.0.

Other indicators for low-income countries

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How much water is withdrawn relative to the internal resources available.

Low-income countries by year Environment Forest cover

What share of a country's territory is covered by forest.

Low-income countries by year Environment Forest area

The absolute area of forest in square kilometers.

Low-income countries by year Environment Protected areas

The share of land and sea under protection — nature reserves, national parks, sanctuaries.

Low-income countries by year
All indicators for low-income countries