Uruguay: Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Uruguay's renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters) rose 46.28 on 2021 (from 27,144 to 27,190).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2021), the average change was −79.5 and a typical year strayed about 51.07 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 46.28 in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 433.71 in 1962. 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 44.52 a year. A straight line explains 77% 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, Uruguay had the 23rd 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.

Closest to Uruguay in the 2022 ranking

• Russian Federation — 20th of 181: 29,895
• Venezuela, RB — 21st of 181: 28,533
• Central African Republic — 22nd of 181: 27,658
• Brazil — 24th of 181: 26,918
• Lao PDR — 25th of 181: 25,189
• Bolivia — 26th of 181: 25,130

What this measures

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.

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 weighted average.

All 62 values

Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters) in nearby economies

• Antigua and Barbuda — 560.1 (2022)
• Argentina — 6,431 (2022)
• Bahamas, The — 1,761 (2022)
• Barbados — 283.37 (2022)
• Belize — 37,891 (2022)
• Bolivia — 25,130 (2022)
• Brazil — 26,918 (2022)
• Chile — 45,262 (2022)
• Colombia

More environment data for Uruguay

• Population in largest city — 1.79 million (2025)
• Population in the largest city (% of urban population) — 55.23% (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million — 1.79 million (2025)
• Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million (% of total population) — 52.83% (2025)
• Rural population — 147,108 (2025)
• Rural population (% of total population) — 4.35% (2025)
• Urban population — 3.24 million (2025)
• Urban population (% of total population) — 95.65% (2025)
• Aquaculture production (metric tons) — 55.45 (2024)
• Capture fisheries production (metric tons)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Uruguay's renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters)?

27,190 in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1961?

It is down 24.44% from 35,987 in 1961 (0.46% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 35,987 in 1961 and the lowest 27,126 in 2020.

How does Uruguay rank?

23rd highest of 181 economies with data for 2022.

Is the latest change in renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters) unusual for Uruguay?

In 2022, Uruguay's renewable internal freshwater resources per capita (cubic meters) rose 46.28 on 2021 (from 27,144 to 27,190). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1992 to 2021), the average change was −79.5 and a typical year strayed about 51.07 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 2.5 standard deviations above that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ER.H2O.INTR.PC, 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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