Renewable freshwater resources per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Renewable freshwater resources per capita was 2,144 cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
2,144 cubic meters
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
103rd
of 183 countries
All-time high
2,746 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
2,144 cubic meters
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Renewable freshwater resources per capita in United Kingdom, 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
United Kingdom recorded 2,144 cubic meters for renewable freshwater resources per capita in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, renewable freshwater resources per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 2,746 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 2,144 cubic meters, in 2022.
That places United Kingdom 103rd 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 United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2,746 cubic meters | — |
| 1962 | 2,723 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 1963 | 2,703 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 2,685 cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1965 | 2,668 cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 2,653 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 2,639 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1968 | 2,626 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1969 | 2,615 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 2,605 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1971 | 2,594 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 2,585 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 2,580 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1974 | 2,579 cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 2,579 cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 2,580 cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 2,580 cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 2,580 cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 1979 | 2,578 cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 2,575 cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 2,574 cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 2,575 cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 2,574 cubic meters | -0.0% |
| 1984 | 2,570 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1985 | 2,564 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 2,558 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 2,553 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1988 | 2,547 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1989 | 2,540 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1990 | 2,533 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1991 | 2,525 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 2,518 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 2,512 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 2,506 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 2,499 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 2,493 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 2,486 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 2,479 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 2,471 cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 2,462 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2001 | 2,453 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 2,442 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 2,431 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 2,417 cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 2,401 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 2,383 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2007 | 2,365 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 2,346 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 2,328 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 2,310 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 2,292 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 2,276 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 2,261 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 2,244 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 2,228 cubic meters | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 2,210 cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 2,198 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 2,187 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 2,176 cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 2,173 cubic meters | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 2,165 cubic meters | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 2,144 cubic meters | -1.0% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 2,144 cubic meters is below the median for high income countries, which is 2,872 cubic meters, 75% of the median. (60 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 2,144 cubic meters is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3,152 cubic meters, 68% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2,673 cubic meters | 2,615 cubic meters | 2,746 cubic meters | 9 |
| 1970s | 2,584 cubic meters | 2,578 cubic meters | 2,605 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,563 cubic meters | 2,540 cubic meters | 2,575 cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,502 cubic meters | 2,471 cubic meters | 2,533 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 2,403 cubic meters | 2,328 cubic meters | 2,462 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,238 cubic meters | 2,176 cubic meters | 2,310 cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,160 cubic meters | 2,144 cubic meters | 2,173 cubic meters | 3 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More energy & mining data for United Kingdom
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate -1.3 % 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 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 8.2% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 3.3% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is renewable freshwater resources per capita in United Kingdom?
- Renewable freshwater resources per capita in United Kingdom was 2,144 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 United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 2,746 cubic meters in 1961.
- What is the lowest renewable freshwater resources per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,144 cubic meters in 2022.
- How does United Kingdom rank for renewable freshwater resources per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 103rd out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
- Is renewable freshwater resources per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.