Renewable water resources per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Renewable water resources per capita was 718.2 in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
718.2
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
145th
of 183 countries
All-time high
2,650
in 1961
All-time low
718.2
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable water resources per capita in South Africa, 1961–2022
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2022, renewable water resources per capita in South Africa stood at 718.2. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable water resources per capita in South Africa peaked at 2,650 in 1961 and was at its lowest, 718.2, in 2022.
South Africa ranks 145th of 183 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Renewable water resources per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,650 | — |
| 1962 | 2,572 | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 2,495 | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 2,420 | -3.0% |
| 1965 | 2,347 | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 2,275 | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 2,205 | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 2,138 | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 2,073 | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 2,011 | -3.0% |
| 1971 | 1,953 | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 1,898 | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 1,844 | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 1,793 | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 1,744 | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 1,697 | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 1,652 | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 1,607 | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 1,565 | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 1,518 | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 1,467 | -3.3% |
| 1982 | 1,417 | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 1,368 | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 1,322 | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 1,278 | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 1,238 | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 1,200 | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 1,164 | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 1,130 | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 1,099 | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 1,075 | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 1,056 | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 1,035 | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 1,018 | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 1,006 | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 992.84 | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 981.02 | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 969.2 | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 958.69 | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 949.96 | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 941.83 | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 932.96 | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 923.71 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 914.45 | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 905.23 | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 896.03 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 886.63 | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 876.46 | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 866.06 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 855.88 | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 845.36 | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 832.98 | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 819.33 | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 805.83 | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 789.8 | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 782.4 | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 777.3 | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 764.34 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 751.83 | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 739.73 | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 728.42 | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 718.2 | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,353 | 2,073 | 2,650 | 9 |
| 1970s | 1,776 | 1,565 | 2,011 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,310 | 1,130 | 1,518 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,019 | 958.69 | 1,099 | 10 |
| 2000s | 909.33 | 866.06 | 949.96 | 10 |
| 2010s | 802.5 | 751.83 | 855.88 | 10 |
| 2020s | 728.78 | 718.2 | 739.73 | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable water resources per capita in South Africa?
- Renewable water resources per capita in South Africa was 718.2 in 2022, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest renewable water resources per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2,650 in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable water resources per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 718.2 in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for renewable water resources per capita?
- South Africa ranks 145th out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable water resources per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Renewable water resources per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).