North Macedonia's level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources was 52.55 in 2022, the latest year in the World Bank's World Development Indicators. That is up 243.16% from 15.31 in 2012 (13.12% a year on average, compounded).
Key figures
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest | 52.55 | 2022 |
| Five years earlier | 38.69 | 2017 |
| Ten years earlier | 15.31 | 2012 |
| Highest | 52.55 | 2022 |
| Lowest | 11.97 | 2013 |
| Average since 2013 | 32.93 | 2013–2022 |
| First recorded | 37.63 | 1996 |
What the numbers say
In 2022, North Macedonia's level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources rose 38.5% on 2021 (from 37.93 to 52.55).
Across the 25 yearly changes before that (1997 to 2021), the average change was +3.1% and a typical year strayed about 26% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.4 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.
On record, the biggest yearly rise was 53.2% in 2017 and the biggest yearly fall was 35.5% in 2007. 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 upward, about 3.88 a year. A straight line explains 70% 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, North Macedonia had the 34th 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 North Macedonia in the 2022 ranking
- Azerbaijan — 31st of 176: 57.53
- Afghanistan — 32nd of 176: 54.76
- Belgium — 33rd of 176: 52.83
- St. Kitts and Nevis — 35th of 176: 50.83
- Morocco — 36th of 176: 50.75
- Kyrgyz Republic — 37th of 176: 50.04
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stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources is the ratio between total freshwater withdrawn by all major sectors and total renewable freshwater resources, after taking into account environmental water requirements.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 27 values
| Year | Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 52.55 |
| 2021 | 37.93 |
| 2020 | 34.85 |
| 2019 | 38.7 |
| 2018 | 52.12 |
| 2017 | 38.69 |
| 2016 | 25.26 |
| 2015 | 20.83 |
| 2014 | 16.4 |
| 2013 | 11.97 |
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 North Macedonia
- Population in largest city — 620,825 (2025)
- Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 54.21% (2025)
- Rural population — 675,721 (2025)
- Rural population (% of total population) — 37.11% (2025)
- Urban population — 1.15 million (2025)
- Urban population (% of total population) — 62.89% (2025)
- Rural population growth (annual %) — -1.07% (2025)
- Urban population growth (annual %) — 0.33% (2025)
- Agricultural land (sq. km) — 12,410 (2024)
- Surface area (sq. km)
Reading data like this
Questions people ask
- What is North Macedonia's level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources?
- 52.55 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).
- How has it changed since 1996?
- It is up 39.65% from 37.63 in 1996 (1.29% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 52.55 in 2022 and the lowest 11.97 in 2013.
- How does North Macedonia rank?
- 34th highest of 176 economies with data for 2022.
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.
Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.
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