Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa

South Africa: Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita was 718.2 cubic meters in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
718.2 cubic meters
Change on year
down 1.4%
World rank
145th
of 183 countries
All-time high
2,650 cubic meters
in 1961
All-time low
718.2 cubic meters
in 2022
Years of data
62
1961–2022

Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa, 1961–2022

5001.0k1.5k2.0k2.5k196119912022

Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in cubic meters.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 718.2 cubic meters for renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 62 years on record.

The figure is down 1.4% on the previous year and down 13.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa peaked at 2,650 cubic meters in 1961 and was at its lowest, 718.2 cubic meters, 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 internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters) in South Africa, 1961 to 2022.
Year cubic meters Change
1961 2,650 cubic meters
1962 2,572 cubic meters -2.9%
1963 2,495 cubic meters -3.0%
1964 2,420 cubic meters -3.0%
1965 2,347 cubic meters -3.0%
1966 2,275 cubic meters -3.1%
1967 2,205 cubic meters -3.1%
1968 2,138 cubic meters -3.1%
1969 2,073 cubic meters -3.0%
1970 2,011 cubic meters -3.0%
1971 1,953 cubic meters -2.9%
1972 1,898 cubic meters -2.8%
1973 1,844 cubic meters -2.8%
1974 1,793 cubic meters -2.8%
1975 1,744 cubic meters -2.7%
1976 1,697 cubic meters -2.7%
1977 1,652 cubic meters -2.7%
1978 1,607 cubic meters -2.7%
1979 1,565 cubic meters -2.7%
1980 1,518 cubic meters -3.0%
1981 1,467 cubic meters -3.3%
1982 1,417 cubic meters -3.4%
1983 1,368 cubic meters -3.4%
1984 1,322 cubic meters -3.4%
1985 1,278 cubic meters -3.3%
1986 1,238 cubic meters -3.1%
1987 1,200 cubic meters -3.1%
1988 1,164 cubic meters -3.0%
1989 1,130 cubic meters -2.9%
1990 1,099 cubic meters -2.7%
1991 1,075 cubic meters -2.3%
1992 1,056 cubic meters -1.8%
1993 1,035 cubic meters -2.0%
1994 1,018 cubic meters -1.6%
1995 1,006 cubic meters -1.2%
1996 992.84 cubic meters -1.3%
1997 981.02 cubic meters -1.2%
1998 969.2 cubic meters -1.2%
1999 958.69 cubic meters -1.1%
2000 949.96 cubic meters -0.9%
2001 941.83 cubic meters -0.9%
2002 932.96 cubic meters -0.9%
2003 923.71 cubic meters -1.0%
2004 914.45 cubic meters -1.0%
2005 905.23 cubic meters -1.0%
2006 896.03 cubic meters -1.0%
2007 886.63 cubic meters -1.0%
2008 876.46 cubic meters -1.1%
2009 866.06 cubic meters -1.2%
2010 855.88 cubic meters -1.2%
2011 845.36 cubic meters -1.2%
2012 832.98 cubic meters -1.5%
2013 819.33 cubic meters -1.6%
2014 805.83 cubic meters -1.6%
2015 789.8 cubic meters -2.0%
2016 782.4 cubic meters -0.9%
2017 777.3 cubic meters -0.7%
2018 764.34 cubic meters -1.7%
2019 751.83 cubic meters -1.6%
2020 739.73 cubic meters -1.6%
2021 728.42 cubic meters -1.5%
2022 718.2 cubic meters -1.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 2,353 cubic meters 2,073 cubic meters 2,650 cubic meters 9
1970s 1,776 cubic meters 1,565 cubic meters 2,011 cubic meters 10
1980s 1,310 cubic meters 1,130 cubic meters 1,518 cubic meters 10
1990s 1,019 cubic meters 958.69 cubic meters 1,099 cubic meters 10
2000s 909.33 cubic meters 866.06 cubic meters 949.96 cubic meters 10
2010s 802.5 cubic meters 751.83 cubic meters 855.88 cubic meters 10
2020s 728.78 cubic meters 718.2 cubic meters 739.73 cubic meters 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 142 Zimbabwe 762.96 cubic meters compare
  2. 143 Burundi 755.19 cubic meters compare
  3. 144 Benin 748.57 cubic meters compare
  4. 146 Rwanda 695.92 cubic meters compare
  5. 147 Moldova 640.66 cubic meters compare
  6. 148 Hungary 624.67 cubic meters compare

See the full ranking of 230 places →

More infrastructure data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa?
Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa was 718.2 cubic meters in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest renewable internal freshwater resources per capita recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 2,650 cubic meters in 1961.
What is the lowest renewable internal freshwater resources per capita recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 718.2 cubic meters in 2022.
How does South Africa rank for renewable internal freshwater resources per capita?
South Africa ranks 145th out of 183 countries with data for 2022.
Is renewable internal freshwater 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 AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 28 August 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/renewable-internal-freshwater-resources-per-capita-cubic-meters/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters)
Unit
cubic meters
Source
AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
230 places, 13,255 data points, 1961–2022
Last refreshed

Renewable internal freshwater resources flows refer to internal renewable resources (internal river flows and groundwater from rainfall) in the country. Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita are calculated using the World Bank's population estimates.