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

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Netherlands' level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources rose 3.6% on 2021 (from 16.08 to 16.66).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2021), the average change was +0.4% and a typical year strayed about 5.9% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 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 8.9% in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.4% in 2015. 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 18% 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, Netherlands had the 72nd 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 Netherlands in the 2022 ranking

• Puerto Rico (US) — 69th of 176: 19.54
• Viet Nam — 70th of 176: 18.13
• Malawi — 71st of 176: 17.5
• Senegal — 73rd of 176: 16.28
• Maldives — 74th of 176: 15.67
• United Kingdom — 75th of 176: 14.35

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stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources is the ratio between total freshwater withdrawn by all major sectors and total renewable freshwater resources, after taking into account environmental water requirements.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 43 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 Netherlands

• Population in largest city — 1.19 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 6.85% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 2.22 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 12.25% (2025)
• Rural population — 734,613 (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 4.06% (2025)
• Urban population — 17.35 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 95.94% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 33,376 (2024)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

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

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

How has it changed since 1980?

It is down 4.61% from 17.46 in 1980 (0.11% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 21.93 in 2005 and the lowest 12.35 in 1996.

How does Netherlands rank?

72nd 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 Netherlands?

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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