Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Nepal
Nepal: Renewable freshwater resources per capita was 6,670 cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
6,670 cubic meters
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
59th
of 183 countries
All-time high
19,208 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
6,670 cubic meters
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Nepal, 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
Nepal recorded 6,670 cubic meters for renewable freshwater resources per capita in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 7.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable freshwater resources per capita in Nepal peaked at 19,208 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 6,670 cubic meters, in 2022.
Nepal ranks 59th of 183 countries on this measure, 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 Nepal, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 19,208 cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 18,838 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 18,472 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1964 | 18,106 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1965 | 17,738 cubic meters | -2.0% |
| 1966 | 17,373 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1967 | 17,009 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1968 | 16,647 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1969 | 16,290 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1970 | 15,937 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1971 | 15,594 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1972 | 15,259 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1973 | 14,930 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1974 | 14,607 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 14,289 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1976 | 13,980 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1977 | 13,670 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1978 | 13,356 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1979 | 13,048 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 12,743 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1981 | 12,448 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1982 | 12,161 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1983 | 11,876 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1984 | 11,601 cubic meters | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 11,340 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1986 | 11,092 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1987 | 10,860 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1988 | 10,634 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1989 | 10,400 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1990 | 10,151 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 9,892 cubic meters | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 9,617 cubic meters | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 9,358 cubic meters | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 9,126 cubic meters | -2.5% |
| 1995 | 8,910 cubic meters | -2.4% |
| 1996 | 8,715 cubic meters | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 8,536 cubic meters | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 8,370 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 1999 | 8,215 cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 2000 | 8,074 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 7,945 cubic meters | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 7,825 cubic meters | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 7,715 cubic meters | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 7,618 cubic meters | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 7,533 cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 7,461 cubic meters | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 7,399 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 7,343 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 7,294 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 7,249 cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 7,217 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 7,198 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 7,184 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 7,162 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 7,123 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 7,090 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 7,076 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 7,058 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 6,975 cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 6,842 cubic meters | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 6,724 cubic meters | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 6,670 cubic meters | -0.8% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 6,670 cubic meters is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2,227 cubic meters, 3.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 6,670 cubic meters is above the median for South Asia, which is 1,697 cubic meters, 3.9× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17,742 cubic meters | 16,290 cubic meters | 19,208 cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 14,467 cubic meters | 13,048 cubic meters | 15,937 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 11,516 cubic meters | 10,400 cubic meters | 12,743 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 9,089 cubic meters | 8,215 cubic meters | 10,151 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 7,621 cubic meters | 7,294 cubic meters | 8,074 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 7,133 cubic meters | 6,975 cubic meters | 7,249 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 6,746 cubic meters | 6,670 cubic meters | 6,842 cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More energy & mining data for Nepal
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 5.6 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 23.0% (2022)
- Ores and metals imports 2.3% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable freshwater resources per capita in Nepal?
- Renewable freshwater resources per capita in Nepal was 6,670 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 Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 19,208 cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 6,670 cubic meters in 2022.
- How does Nepal rank for renewable freshwater resources per capita?
- Nepal ranks 59th out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable freshwater resources per capita rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nepal 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.