Country rankings

Countries with Water Scarcity

Bahrain ranks 1st on Water Scarcity Ranking in 2019, followed by Cyprus (2nd) and Kuwait (3rd); rank 1 is the best. Sierra Leone ranks last (164th).

Water Scarcity RankingBetter directionWhether a higher or a lower value is better. A green arrow means higher is better, a red arrow means lower is better, and no arrow means neither.More in the glossary →
Year 2019163 of 235 countries

Water Scarcity Ranking, 2019

Green is better, red is worse (rank 1 is the best). Click a place to highlight it.

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Ranking

Best first: the first 15 and last 5 of 163 countries; rank 1 is the best.

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

163 countries · # = rank by Water Scarcity Ranking
#
1Bahrain1st5 - Extremely High (>80%)
2Cyprus2nd5 - Extremely High (>80%)
3Kuwait3rd5 - Extremely High (>80%)
4Lebanon4th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
5Oman5th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
6Qatar6th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
7United Arab Emirates7th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
8Saudi Arabia8th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
9Israel9th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
10Egypt10th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
11Libya11th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
12Yemen12th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
13Botswana13th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
14Iran14th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
15Jordan15th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
16Chile16th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
17San Marino17th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
18Belgium18th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
19Greece19th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
20Tunisia20th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
21Namibia21st5 - Extremely High (>80%)
22South Africa22nd5 - Extremely High (>80%)
23Iraq23rd5 - Extremely High (>80%)
24India24th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
25Syria25th5 - Extremely High (>80%)
26Mexico26th4 - High (40%-80%)
27Morocco27th4 - High (40%-80%)
28Eritrea28th4 - High (40%-80%)
29Spain29th4 - High (40%-80%)
30Algeria30th4 - High (40%-80%)
31Pakistan31st4 - High (40%-80%)
32Peru32nd4 - High (40%-80%)
33Turkmenistan33rd4 - High (40%-80%)
34Uzbekistan34th4 - High (40%-80%)
35Thailand35th4 - High (40%-80%)
36Andorra36th4 - High (40%-80%)
37Albania37th4 - High (40%-80%)
38Niger38th4 - High (40%-80%)
39Turkey39th4 - High (40%-80%)
40Afghanistan40th4 - High (40%-80%)
41Italy41st4 - High (40%-80%)
42Kyrgyzstan42nd4 - High (40%-80%)
43Portugal43rd4 - High (40%-80%)
44Nepal44th4 - High (40%-80%)
45Djibouti45th4 - High (40%-80%)
46Mongolia46th4 - High (40%-80%)
47North Macedonia47th4 - High (40%-80%)
48Armenia48th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
49Lesotho49th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
50Luxembourg50th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
51Australia51st3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
52China52nd3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
53Mauritania53rd3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
54Guyana54th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
55Indonesia55th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
56Bangladesh56th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
57United States57th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
58Kazakhstan58th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
59Azerbaijan59th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
60South Korea60th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
61Sri Lanka61st3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
62Tajikistan62nd3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
63North Korea63rd3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
64Senegal64th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
65Zimbabwe65th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
66Lithuania66th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
67Myanmar67th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
68Vietnam68th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
69Germany69th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
70Philippines70th3 - Medium-High (20%-40%)
71Japan71st2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
72El Salvador72nd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
73France73rd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
74Tanzania74th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
75Cambodia75th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
76Czechia76th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
77Argentina77th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
78Uruguay78th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
79Venezuela79th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
80Timor-Leste80th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
81Somalia81st2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
82Suriname82nd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
83Poland83rd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
84Cuba84th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
85Burkina Faso85th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
86Slovakia86th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
87Dominican Republic87th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
88Haiti88th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
89Netherlands89th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
90Sudan90th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
91Bulgaria91st2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
92South Sudan92nd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
93Ukraine93rd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
94United Kingdom94th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
95Moldova95th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
96Serbia96th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
97Canada97th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
98Estonia98th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
99Romania99th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
100Belarus100th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
101Russia101st2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
102Angola102nd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
103Brazil103rd2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
104Malaysia104th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
105Guatemala105th2 - Low-Medium (10%-20%)
106Ethiopia106th1 - Low (<10%)
107Denmark107th1 - Low (<10%)
108Georgia108th1 - Low (<10%)
109Madagascar109th1 - Low (<10%)
110Chad110th1 - Low (<10%)
111Zambia111th1 - Low (<10%)
112Liechtenstein112th1 - Low (<10%)
113Finland113th1 - Low (<10%)
114Nigeria114th1 - Low (<10%)
115Kenya115th1 - Low (<10%)
116Sweden116th1 - Low (<10%)
117Malawi117th1 - Low (<10%)
118Panama118th1 - Low (<10%)
119Laos119th1 - Low (<10%)
120Montenegro120th1 - Low (<10%)
121Mali121st1 - Low (<10%)
122Ecuador122nd1 - Low (<10%)
123Costa Rica123rd1 - Low (<10%)
124Latvia124th1 - Low (<10%)
125Slovenia125th1 - Low (<10%)
126Colombia126th1 - Low (<10%)
127Hungary127th1 - Low (<10%)
128Switzerland128th1 - Low (<10%)
129Bosnia and Herzegovina129th1 - Low (<10%)
130Mozambique130th1 - Low (<10%)
131Bhutan131st1 - Low (<10%)
132Ireland132nd1 - Low (<10%)
133Guinea133rd1 - Low (<10%)
134Guinea-Bissau135th1 - Low (<10%)
135Austria136th1 - Low (<10%)
136Nicaragua137th1 - Low (<10%)
137Uganda138th1 - Low (<10%)
138Norway139th1 - Low (<10%)
139Croatia140th1 - Low (<10%)
140Bolivia141st1 - Low (<10%)
141Honduras142nd1 - Low (<10%)
142Ghana143rd1 - Low (<10%)
143Belize144th1 - Low (<10%)
144New Zealand145th1 - Low (<10%)
145Gambia146th1 - Low (<10%)
146Republic of the Congo147th1 - Low (<10%)
147DR Congo148th1 - Low (<10%)
148Central African Republic149th1 - Low (<10%)
149Cameroon150th1 - Low (<10%)
150Benin151st1 - Low (<10%)
151Togo152nd1 - Low (<10%)
152Paraguay153rd1 - Low (<10%)
153Burundi154th1 - Low (<10%)
154Brunei155th1 - Low (<10%)
155Ivory Coast156th1 - Low (<10%)
156Gabon157th1 - Low (<10%)
157Equatorial Guinea158th1 - Low (<10%)
158Iceland159th1 - Low (<10%)
159Jamaica160th1 - Low (<10%)
160Liberia161st1 - Low (<10%)
161Papua New Guinea162nd1 - Low (<10%)
162Rwanda163rd1 - Low (<10%)
163Sierra Leone164th1 - Low (<10%)

What correlates with Water Scarcity Ranking (2019)?

Pearson r against 1,469 other country metrics sharing at least 98 countries, 1 near-identical series hidden. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that rank better on Water Scarcity Ranking tend to score higher on these

  1. Total ScoreWater Stress by Country
    r = +0.99 · very strong · n = 148
    Plot
  2. Agricultural ScoreWater Stress by Country
    r = +0.97 · very strong · n = 142
    Plot
  3. Domestic ScoreWater Stress by Country
    r = +0.96 · very strong · n = 148
    Plot
  4. Stress Industrial ScoreWater Stress by Country
    r = +0.96 · very strong · n = 142
    Plot
  5. Yearly Sunshine HoursBest Weather by Country
    r = +0.51 · strong · n = 130
    Plot
  6. Onion Consumption per CapitaVegetable Consumption by Country
    r = +0.43 · moderate · n = 147
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that rank better on Water Scarcity Ranking tend to score lower on these

  1. Renewable Energy Consumption inc. HydroRenewable Energy by Country
    r = −0.56 · strong · n = 159
    Plot
  2. Renewable Energy Consumption as % of Total ConsumptionRenewable Energy by Country
    r = −0.56 · strong · n = 159
    Plot
  3. Women’s Employment 2011 to 2016Most Dangerous Countries for Women
    r = −0.52 · strong · n = 157
    Plot
  4. Miscarriage Rate (Lower Limit)Miscarriage Rates by Country
    r = −0.51 · strong · n = 160
    Plot
  5. Miscarriage Rate (Overall Est.)Miscarriage Rates by Country
    r = −0.51 · strong · n = 160
    Plot
  6. Miscarriage Rate (Upper Limit)Miscarriage Rates by Country
    r = −0.51 · strong · n = 160
    Plot

Quick answers

Which country ranks first on Water Scarcity Ranking?
Bahrain ranks first on Water Scarcity Ranking in 2019, at 1st, followed by Cyprus (2nd) and Kuwait (3rd). Rank 1 is the best country.
Which country ranks last on Water Scarcity Ranking?
Sierra Leone ranks last of the 163 countries with data in 2019, at 164th.
Where does this countries with water scarcity data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: 10 Countries With Water Stress & Scarcity - Concern Worldwise US; 25 Countries, Housing One-quarter of the Population, Face Extremely High Water Stress - World Resources Institute; Aqueduct Projected Water Stress Country Rankings - World Resources Institute.

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