Renewable freshwater resources per capita in South Korea
South Korea: Renewable freshwater resources per capita was 1,255 cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
1,255 cubic meters
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
120th
of 183 countries
All-time high
2,517 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
1,251 cubic meters
in 2020
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in South Korea, 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
South Korea recorded 1,255 cubic meters for renewable freshwater resources per capita in 2022.
The figure is up 0.2% on the previous year and down 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable freshwater resources per capita in South Korea peaked at 2,517 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1,251 cubic meters, in 2020.
That places South Korea 120th out of 183 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in South Korea, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,517 cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 2,446 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1963 | 2,379 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 1964 | 2,317 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 1965 | 2,259 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1966 | 2,203 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1967 | 2,152 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1968 | 2,103 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 2,056 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1970 | 2,011 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 1,972 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1972 | 1,936 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1973 | 1,902 cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 1,869 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 1975 | 1,838 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 1976 | 1,809 cubic meters | -1.6% |
| 1977 | 1,781 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 1,754 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1979 | 1,728 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1980 | 1,701 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1981 | 1,675 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1982 | 1,649 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1983 | 1,625 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 1984 | 1,605 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 1,589 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1986 | 1,574 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1987 | 1,558 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 1,543 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 1,528 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 1,513 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1991 | 1,498 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 1,482 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1993 | 1,467 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1994 | 1,453 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 1,438 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 1,424 cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 1,411 cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 1,401 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 1,391 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 1,380 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 1,369 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 1,361 cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2003 | 1,354 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 1,349 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 1,346 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 1,339 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 1,332 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 1,322 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 1,315 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 1,309 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 1,299 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 1,292 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 1,286 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 1,278 cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 1,271 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 1,266 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 1,263 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 1,257 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 1,253 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 1,251 cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 1,253 cubic meters | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1,255 cubic meters | +0.2% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1,255 cubic meters is below the median for high income countries, which is 2,872 cubic meters, 44% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1,255 cubic meters is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7,240 cubic meters, 17% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,270 cubic meters | 2,056 cubic meters | 2,517 cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,860 cubic meters | 1,728 cubic meters | 2,011 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,605 cubic meters | 1,528 cubic meters | 1,701 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,448 cubic meters | 1,391 cubic meters | 1,513 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,347 cubic meters | 1,315 cubic meters | 1,380 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,277 cubic meters | 1,253 cubic meters | 1,309 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,253 cubic meters | 1,251 cubic meters | 1,255 cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More energy & mining data for South Korea
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.55 % 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 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 25.7% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 6.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable freshwater resources per capita in South Korea?
- Renewable freshwater resources per capita in South Korea was 1,255 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2,517 cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,251 cubic meters in 2020.
- How does South Korea rank for renewable freshwater resources per capita?
- South Korea ranks 120th out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable freshwater resources per capita rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea 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.
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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.