Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia
Gambia: Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals was 38.6% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia, 1982–2022
Source: AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of total freshwater withdrawal.
Analysis
In 2022, agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia stood at 38.6%. That is the lowest value across all 41 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia peaked at 91.0% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 38.6%, in 2005.
Gambia ranks 114th of 180 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 41 years of available data.
Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia, year by year
| Year | % of total freshwater withdrawal | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 91.0% | — |
| 1983 | 81.0% | -11.0% |
| 1984 | 73.9% | -8.8% |
| 1985 | 68.6% | -7.2% |
| 1986 | 64.4% | -6.1% |
| 1987 | 61.1% | -5.2% |
| 1988 | 58.3% | -4.5% |
| 1989 | 56.1% | -3.9% |
| 1990 | 54.1% | -3.4% |
| 1991 | 52.5% | -3.0% |
| 1992 | 51.0% | -2.7% |
| 1993 | 49.8% | -2.5% |
| 1994 | 48.7% | -2.2% |
| 1995 | 47.7% | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 46.8% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 46.0% | -1.7% |
| 1998 | 45.3% | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 44.7% | -1.4% |
| 2000 | 43.3% | -3.0% |
| 2001 | 42.3% | -2.4% |
| 2002 | 41.3% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 40.3% | -2.3% |
| 2004 | 39.4% | -2.2% |
| 2005 | 38.6% | -2.2% |
| 2006 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 38.6% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 69.3% | 56.1% | 91.0% | 8 |
| 1990s | 48.7% | 44.7% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 40.0% | 38.6% | 43.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.6% | 38.6% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 38.6% | 38.6% | 38.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 111 Uganda 40.7% compare
- 112 United States of America 39.7% compare
- 113 Cape Verde 39.0% compare
- 115 Lebanon 38.0% compare
- 116 Panama 36.8% compare
- 117 South Sudan 36.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Gambia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 25.87 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2385 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 219.17 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.2766 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3501 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 23.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 23.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.1% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.3% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia?
- Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals in Gambia was 38.6% in 2022, according to AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 91.0% in 1982.
- What is the lowest agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 38.6% in 2005.
- How does Gambia rank for agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals?
- Gambia ranks 114th out of 180 countries with data for 2022.
- Is agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Gambia data come from?
- The figures come from AQUASTAT - FAO's Global Information System on Water and Agriculture, FAO, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural water as a share of total water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Agricultural water withdrawals as a percentage of total water withdrawals (which is the sum of water used for agriculture, industry and domestic purposes). Agricultural water is defined as the annual quantity of self-supplied water withdrawn for irrigation, livestock and aquaculture purposes.