According to the United States Geological Survey, the planet has just 3 per cent freshwater; the rest is salinated water.
And the majority of the planet's freshwater supply cannot be easily accessed.
On the occasion of World Water Day, let's examine Mother Earth's water sources. Over 68 per cent of it is locked within polar ice sheets and glaciers, while slightly more than 30 per cent exists beneath the ground as sub-surface water.
Merely around 0.3 per cent occurs as surface water, like the H20 held in lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
Which countries us the most water on earth? Here are the stats according to ,em>World Population Review's 2022 compilation.
Where in the world is more water consumed?
Photograph: Kind courtesy Safron thinks/Wikimedia Commons
1. India
India consumes more water each year than any other country, its use totalling 761 billion cubic m. On average, this equates to 534 cubic m water per person per year. Of this, 647.5 billion cubic m is freshwater.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Vmenkov/Wikimedia Commons
2. China
China ranks second in terms of overall water usage. Each year, the country requires 581 billion cubic m water, with the majority ie 61.34 per cent allocated to farming activities. On a per-person basis, this amounts to 399 cubic m water in a year. Out of the total volume, 568.5 billion cubic m consists of freshwater.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Dori/Wikimedia Commons
3. United States
The US is another major consumer of water resources at 444 billion cubic m annually. When divided by its population, this means approximately 1,301 cubic m per individual. Most of quantity is freshwater.
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4. Indonesia
223 billion cubic m is the entire archipelagic nation's annual water needs. This averages to 798 cubic m by each Indonesian. And 222.6 billion cubic m of this is freshwater.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Mo/Wikimedia Commons
5. Pakistan
India's neighbour has water necessities of approximately 183.4 billion cubic m water each year. In terms of individual usage, this equals about 753 cubic m per person. From the overall volume, 179.3 billion cubic m is sourced from freshwater reserves.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Amir Pashaei/Wikimedia Commons
6. Iran
Iran depletes 93.3 billion cubic m water each year, or roughly 1,042 cubic m per capita. Some 93 billion cubic m is freshwater.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Dennis G. Jarvis/Wikimedia Commons
7. Mexico
Across the world in Central America, Mexicans go through 89.8 billion cubic m water each year. Per head, it works out to 698 cubic m every year. And 89.8 billion cubic m freshwater is required.