Water is essential for all living organisms. When you hear that 71% of the Earth’s surface is composed of water, we think you have nothing to worry about. The fact is that humans and most other mammals need fresh and fresh water, and more than 97% of all water on Earth is salt water. This leaves people with less than 3% of fresh water. Around 2% is contained in ice, snow, glaciers, while 0.75% is traced to groundwater. Lakes and rivers contain only about 0.01% of all water on Earth. Of all water on the planet, the inhabitants have only 0.003% of the fresh, clean and unpolluted water. In this selection the 10 countries with more drinking water in the world are highlighted. To create this selection, data from the World Bank was used, which talks about domestic renewable freshwater resources for each country. The 10 countries that had most of the cubic meters of domestically generated renewable drinking water resources went into selection. The quantity of each country is indicated by billions of cubic meters, and the internal drinking water resources are renewable. Source: prozipcodes.com
10. MYANMAR – 1.003 BILLION CUBIC METERS
The country has 18,770 m³ of freshwater per capita, which is a significant change compared to 44,684 it had in 1962. According to the FAO Food and Agricultural Organization , the country’s water withdrawal was 33.23 km³ in 2010, 89 % of it is used for agriculture.
9. INDIA – 1.446 BILLION CUBIC METERS
India used 91 percent of its water withdrawals of 761 km3 for agriculture in 2010. The country had 3,089 cubic meters of freshwater per capita in 1963, with the number dropping to 1,116 in 2014.
8. PERU – 1.641 BILLION CUBIC METERS
Although the country has 4% of the world’s renewable water resources, more than 98% is located in the Amazon region, while less than 1.8% is located in the part of the country inhabited by more than 15 million people. The Peruvian freshwater per capita number of 52,981 m³ can be impressive, but in 1962 that number was 154,075.
7. INDONESIA – 2.019 BILLION CUBIC METERS
In 2000, Indonesia had a water withdrawal of 113 km³ with 82% being used for agriculture, and 12% for municipalities. The country now has 7,935 cubic meters of freshwater per capita compared to 21,813 cubic meters in 1962.
6. COLOMBIA – 2.145 BILLION CUBIC METERS
The Colombian government recognized the importance of water resources management and created multiple laws and institutions designed to regulate water use. Despite government efforts, there are still significant challenges including declining water quality. The per capita freshwater index for Colombia in 1962 was 122,570 m³, while in 2014 it dropped to 44,883.
5. CHINA – 2,813 BILLION CUBIC METERS
Although it is among the top 5, China faces major problems. The rapid population growth and economic development of the country contributed to water scarcity and increased water pollution. The withdrawal of water from the country in 2005 was 554.1 km³, with 23% being used in industry. China now has 2,062 cubic meters of freshwater per capita, compared with 4,225 cubic meters in 1961.
4. UNITED STATES – 2.818 BILLION CUBIC METERS
Although the United States looks good when it comes to water resources, the situation may change over time. The increase in population will cause an increase in water withdrawals, and there are estimates that 70 counties in the nation could face water shortages by 2050. By 1961, the country had 15,107 cubic meters of freshwater per capita, while the current number is 8,836.
3. CANADA – 2.850 BILLION CUBIC METERS
When Canada is known to have 9 percent of the world’s renewable freshwater and 80,181 cubic meters of freshwater per capita, one imagines the country will never have problems with water. The fact is, most of the freshwater resources are in the north and most of the population is located in the south. Canada uses most of its water withdrawals to cool the power generators.
2. RUSSIA – 4.312 BILLION CUBIC METERS
Although Russia is rich in freshwater resources, they are poorly managed and distributed unevenly. Particularly disturbing is the fact that 11 million people in the country use non-potable water. While there is no data for 1961, Russia’s current per capita freshwater index is 29.982 m³.
1. BRAZIL – 5,661 BILLION CUBIC METERS
Although Brazil has the most freshwater resources, some regions and parts of the population still do not have equal access to water. In addition, inadequate management of water resources and increased use have contributed to poor water quality. The country relies significantly on water, generating more than 60% of its energy with hydroelectric plants . The withdrawal of water from Brazil in 2010 was 74.830 million cubic meters. While the country’s per capita freshwater index in 1961 was 73,512 cubic meters, the number dropped to 27,470 in 2014, Brazil being the leader in this selection of the 10 countries with the highest drinking water in the world.
