Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia
Australia: Renewable freshwater resources per capita was 18,910 cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
18,910 cubic meters
Change on year
down 1.3%
World rank
32nd
of 183 countries
All-time high
46,933 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
18,910 cubic meters
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia, 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 cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2022, renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia stood at 18,910 cubic meters. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 12.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia peaked at 46,933 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 18,910 cubic meters, in 2022.
Australia ranks 32nd of 183 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 46,933 cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 45,802 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1963 | 44,932 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 44,058 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1965 | 43,203 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1966 | 42,228 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1967 | 41,698 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1968 | 40,969 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 1969 | 40,121 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 39,338 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1971 | 38,030 cubic meters | -3.3% |
| 1972 | 37,338 cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 1973 | 36,771 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1974 | 35,852 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1975 | 35,414 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1976 | 35,060 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1977 | 34,667 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1978 | 34,267 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 33,898 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 33,488 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1981 | 32,969 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 32,402 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 1983 | 31,962 cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1984 | 31,580 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 31,162 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 30,715 cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 1987 | 30,251 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1988 | 29,760 cubic meters | -1.6% |
| 1989 | 29,261 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 1990 | 28,831 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 28,466 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 28,149 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 27,899 cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 27,632 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 27,326 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1996 | 26,996 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 26,706 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1998 | 26,441 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 26,153 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 25,856 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2001 | 25,526 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 25,237 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 24,948 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 24,683 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 24,384 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 24,058 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 23,622 cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 23,154 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 2009 | 22,682 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 2010 | 22,331 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 22,023 cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 21,642 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2013 | 21,273 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2014 | 20,958 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 20,658 cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 20,338 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 20,006 cubic meters | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 19,709 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 19,420 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 19,182 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 19,155 cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 18,910 cubic meters | -1.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 18,910 cubic meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 2,872 cubic meters, 6.6× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- Australia's 18,910 cubic meters is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7,240 cubic meters, 2.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 43,327 cubic meters | 40,121 cubic meters | 46,933 cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 36,064 cubic meters | 33,898 cubic meters | 39,338 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 31,355 cubic meters | 29,261 cubic meters | 33,488 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 27,460 cubic meters | 26,153 cubic meters | 28,831 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 24,415 cubic meters | 22,682 cubic meters | 25,856 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 20,836 cubic meters | 19,420 cubic meters | 22,331 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 19,082 cubic meters | 18,910 cubic meters | 19,182 cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More energy & mining data for Australia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -0.4235 % 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)
- Coal production, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 11.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 1.9% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia?
- Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Australia was 18,910 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 renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 46,933 cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 18,910 cubic meters in 2022.
- How does Australia rank for renewable freshwater resources per capita?
- Australia ranks 32nd out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable freshwater resources per capita rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Australia 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 Renewable freshwater resources per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Renewable internal freshwater resources flows refer to internal renewable resources (internal river flows and groundwater from rainfall) in the country.