Agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Agricultural water withdrawals was 11.31 billion cubic meters in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
11.31 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
38th
of 180 countries
All-time high
12.00 billion cubic meters
in 2000
All-time low
9.38 billion cubic meters
in 1990
Years of data
34
1990–2023
Agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka, 1990–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
In 2023, agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka stood at 11.31 billion cubic meters.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka peaked at 12.00 billion cubic meters in 2000 and was at its lowest, 9.38 billion cubic meters, in 1990.
Sri Lanka ranks 38th of 180 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 9.38 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1991 | 9.64 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 9.90 billion cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 10.17 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1994 | 10.43 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 10.69 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 10.95 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 11.21 billion cubic meters | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 11.48 billion cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 11.74 billion cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 12.00 billion cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 11.86 billion cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 11.72 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2003 | 11.59 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2004 | 11.45 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2005 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 11.31 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.56 billion cubic meters | 9.38 billion cubic meters | 11.74 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.52 billion cubic meters | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 12.00 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 11.31 billion cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More agriculture & rural data for Sri Lanka
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 9.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0836 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 418.3 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9172 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7955 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka?
- Agricultural water withdrawals in Sri Lanka was 11.31 billion cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agricultural water withdrawals recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 12.00 billion cubic meters in 2000.
- What is the lowest agricultural water withdrawals recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.38 billion cubic meters in 1990.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for agricultural water withdrawals?
- Sri Lanka ranks 38th out of 180 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural water withdrawals rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agricultural water withdrawals. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for irrigation, livestock, and aquaculture.