Italy: Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Italy's level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources rose 0.1% on 2021 (from 29.74 to 29.77).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2021), the average change was +0.1% and a typical year strayed about 13.3% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.0 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 rise was 60.3% in 2008 and the biggest yearly fall was 37.3% in 2009. 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 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.02 a year. A straight line explains 58% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2022, Italy had the 54th highest value of the 176 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.

Closest to Italy in the 2022 ranking

• Poland — 50th of 176: 32.49
• Ethiopia — 51st of 176: 32.26
• Cyprus — 52nd of 176: 30.48
• Indonesia — 54th of 176: 29.7
• Timor-Leste — 55th of 176: 28.27
• United States — 56th of 176: 28.16

What this measures

The level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources is the ratio between total freshwater withdrawn by all major sectors and total renewable freshwater resources, after taking into account environmental water requirements. Main sectors, as defined by ISIC standards, include agriculture; forestry and fishing; manufacturing; electricity industry; and services. This indicator is also known as water withdrawal intensity.

Limitations: Water withdrawal as a percentage of water resources is a good indicator of pressure on limited water resources, one of the most important natural resources. However, it only partially addresses the issues related to sustainable water management. Supplementary indicators that capture the multiple dimensions of water management would combine data on water demand management, behavioural changes with regard to water use and the availability of appropriate infrastructure, and measure progress in increasing the efficiency and sustainability of water use, in particular in relation to population and economic growth.

All 53 values

Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources in nearby economies

• Albania — 4.79 (2022)
• Armenia — 61.97 (2022)
• Austria — 8.68 (2022)
• Azerbaijan — 57.53 (2022)
• Belarus — 4.66 (2022)
• Belgium — 52.83 (2022)
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 2.07 (2022)
• Bulgaria

More environment data for Italy

• Population in largest city — 4.35 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 10.59% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 11.51 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 19.53% (2025)
• Rural population — 17.86 million (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 30.32% (2025)
• Urban population — 41.05 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 69.68% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 97,793 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

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Questions people ask

What is Italy's level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources?

29.77 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1970?

It is down 18.79% from 36.66 in 1970 (0.4% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 47.2 in 2008 and the lowest 29.44 in 2007.

How does Italy rank?

54th highest of 176 economies with data for 2022.

Is the latest change in level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources unusual for Italy?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ER.H2O.FWST.ZS, 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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