Fresh water is one of the most important resources in the world, but it is far from evenly distributed. While some countries are rich in lakes, rivers and glaciers, others face an acute shortage. The World Bank has provided data on renewable freshwater resources by country.
As AZERTAC reports with reference to the World Bank, it is estimated that fresh water makes up only 2.5% of the total water volume on the planet, most of it is in glaciers and underground.
Brazil (13% of the world’s fresh water reserves) ranks first in terms of renewable freshwater reserves in the world thanks to the Amazon basin, which accounts for about a fifth of the world’s river flow.
Russia’s freshwater resources (more than 10% of the world’s fresh water reserves) are found in thousands of rivers and lakes, including Lake Baikal, which contains 20% of the world’s unfrozen fresh water reserves.
Canada (6.7% of the world’s fresh water) has more than two million lakes, including the Great Lakes, which contain about 84% of North America’s surface fresh water.
The United States (6.6% of the world’s fresh water) has significant freshwater resources, with major river systems such as the Mississippi, Colorado, and Columbia providing water to millions of people. However, water scarcity is becoming an increasing problem, particularly in the southwest, where aquifers are being depleted faster than they can be replenished.
China’s freshwater resources (6.6% of the world’s fresh water) are vast but unevenly distributed, with the south receiving far more rainfall than the arid north. The Yangtze River is a vital source of water for the country, supporting agriculture, industry, and more than 400 million people.
