Bhutan's renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters) was 78 in 2022, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is unchanged at from 78 in 2012.
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 78 | 2022 |
| Five years earlier | 78 | 2017 |
| Ten years earlier | 78 | 2012 |
| Highest | 95 | 1961 |
| Lowest | 78 | 2004 |
| Average since 2013 | 78 | 2013–2022 |
| First recorded | 95 | 1961 |
What the numbers say
In 2022, Bhutan's renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters) did not change 0% on 2021 (from 78 to 78).
Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2021), the average change was −0.6% and a typical year strayed about 2.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
On record, the biggest yearly fall was 14.7% in 1994. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.
From 2013 to 2022 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains less than 1% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.
Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.
How it compares
In 2022, Bhutan had the 64th highest value of the 181 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Bhutan | 78 | 2022 |
| World | 42,807 | 2022 |
| South Asia | 1,880 | 2022 |
| Lower middle income | 7,056 | 2022 |
Closest to Bhutan in the 2022 ranking
- Honduras — 61st of 181: 90.66
- Tanzania — 62nd of 181: 84
- Zambia — 63rd of 181: 80.2
- Côte d'Ivoire — 65th of 181: 76.84
- Korea, Dem. People's Rep. — 66th of 181: 67
- Korea, Rep. — 67th of 181: 64.85
What this measures
Renewable internal freshwater resources flows refer to internal renewable resources (internal river flows and groundwater from rainfall) in the country.
Limitations: A common perception is that most of the available freshwater resources are visible (on the surfaces of lakes, reservoirs and rivers). However, this visible water represents only a tiny fraction of global freshwater resources, as most of it is stored in aquifers, with the largest stocks stored in solid form in the Antarctic and in Greenland's ice cap. The data on freshwater resources are based on estimates of runoff into rivers and recharge of groundwater. These estimates are based on different sources and refer to different years, so cross-country comparisons should be made with caution.
Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.
All 62 values
| Year | Renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters) |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 78 |
| 2021 | 78 |
| 2020 | 78 |
| 2019 | 78 |
| 2018 | 78 |
| 2017 | 78 |
| 2016 | 78 |
| 2015 | 78 |
| 2014 | 78 |
| 2013 | 78 |
| 2012 |
Renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters) in nearby economies
- Bangladesh — 105 (2022)
- India — 1,446 (2022)
- Maldives — 0.03 (2022)
- Nepal — 198.2 (2022)
- Sri Lanka — 52.8 (2022)
More environment data for Bhutan
- Rural population — 450,682 (2025)
- Rural population (% of total population) — 56.57% (2025)
- Urban population — 346,000 (2025)
- Urban population (% of total population) — 43.43% (2025)
- Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 58 (2024)
- Capture fisheries production (metric tons) — 5 (2024)
- Total fisheries production (metric tons) — 63 (2024)
- Rural population growth (annual %) — -0.87% (2025)
- Urban population growth (annual %) — 2.66% (2025)
- Agricultural land (sq. km) — 5,270 (2024)
- Agricultural land (% of land area)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is Bhutan's renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters)?
- 78 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1961?
- It is down 17.89% from 95 in 1961 (0.32% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 95 in 1961 and the lowest 78 in 2004.
- How does Bhutan rank?
- 64th highest of 181 economies with data for 2022.
- Is the latest change in renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters) unusual for Bhutan?
- In 2022, Bhutan's renewable internal freshwater resources, total (billion cubic meters) did not change 0% on 2021 (from 78 to 78). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2021), the average change was −0.6% and a typical year strayed about 2.8% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.2 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.
Source
World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ER.H2O.INTR.K3, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), uri: https://data.apps.fao.org/aquastat/, publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), date accessed: 20240529 Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.
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