Internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa
South Africa: Internal renewable freshwater resources by region was 44.8 billion cubic meters in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
44.8 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
81st
of 183 countries
All-time high
44.8 billion cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
44.8 billion cubic meters
in 1961
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa, 1961–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in billion cubic meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa is 44.8 billion cubic meters, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa peaked at 44.8 billion cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 44.8 billion cubic meters, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 81st of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa, year by year
| Year | billion cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 44.8 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 44.8 billion cubic meters is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 35 billion cubic meters, 1.3× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 44.8 billion cubic meters is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 20.7 billion cubic meters, 2.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 44.8 billion cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 78 Ireland 49 billion cubic meters compare
- 79 Kyrgyzstan 48.93 billion cubic meters compare
- 80 Afghanistan 47.15 billion cubic meters compare
- 82 Solomon Islands 44.7 billion cubic meters compare
- 83 Romania 42.38 billion cubic meters compare
- 84 Switzerland 40.4 billion cubic meters compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.3095 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa?
- Internal renewable freshwater resources by region in South Africa was 44.8 billion cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest internal renewable freshwater resources by region recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 44.8 billion cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest internal renewable freshwater resources by region recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 44.8 billion cubic meters in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for internal renewable freshwater resources by region?
- South Africa ranks 81st out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is internal renewable freshwater resources by region rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Internal renewable freshwater resources by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Renewable internal freshwater resources refers to the quantity of internal freshwater from inflowing river basins and recharging groundwater aquifers.