What is the highest average precipitation in depth recorded in Australia?

The highest recorded value was 534 mm per year in 1961.

What is the lowest average precipitation in depth recorded in Australia?

The lowest recorded value was 534 mm per year in 1961.

How does Australia rank for average precipitation in depth?

Australia ranks 141st out of 182 countries with data for 2022.

Is average precipitation in depth rising or falling in Australia?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Average precipitation in depth in Australia

Name: Average precipitation in depth in Australia
Creator: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

Australia: Average precipitation in depth was 534 mm per year in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)

534 mm per year

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

141st

of 182 countries

All-time high

534 mm per year

in 1961

All-time low

534 mm per year

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2022

Average precipitation in depth in Australia, 1961–2022

Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in mm per year.

Analysis

Australia recorded 534 mm per year for average precipitation in depth in 2022. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, average precipitation in depth in Australia peaked at 534 mm per year in 1961 and was at its lowest, 534 mm per year, in 1961.

Australia ranks 141st of 182 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	9
1970s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	10
1980s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	10
1990s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	10
2000s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	10
2010s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	10
2020s	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	534 mm per year	3

Countries ranked near Australia

138 Malta 560 mm per year compare
139 Canada 537 mm per year compare
140 Finland 536 mm per year compare
142 Kyrgyzstan 533 mm per year compare
143 Cyprus 498 mm per year compare
144 South Africa 495 mm per year compare

See the full ranking of 182 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Australia

Agricultural raw materials exports 1.7% (2025)
Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2025)
Rural population 12.3% (2025)
Rural population growth 0.6% (2025)
Rural population 3.39 million (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.3% (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 40.76 billion current US$ (2025)
Land under cereal production 19.46 million hectares (2024)
Cereal yield 2,690 kg per hectare (2024)
Cereal production 52.35 million metric tons (2024)

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is average precipitation in depth in Australia?: Average precipitation in depth in Australia was 534 mm per year in 2022, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest average precipitation in depth recorded in Australia?: The highest recorded value was 534 mm per year in 1961.
What is the lowest average precipitation in depth recorded in Australia?: The lowest recorded value was 534 mm per year in 1961.
How does Australia rank for average precipitation in depth?: Australia ranks 141st out of 182 countries with data for 2022.
Is average precipitation in depth rising or falling in Australia?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Australia data come from?: The figures come from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Average precipitation in depth (mm per year). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator: Average precipitation in depth (mm per year)
Unit: mm per year
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 182 places, 10,448 data points, 1961–2022
Last refreshed: 06 August 2026

Average precipitation is the long-term average in depth (over space and time) of annual precipitation in the country. Precipitation is defined as any kind of water that falls from clouds as a liquid or a solid.