Colombia – 2,132 Cubic Kilometre

Top 10 Countries with Freshwater Resources – Overview

The Antarctic ice sheet contains about 90 percent of the fresh water on the Earth’s surface. It spans roughly 8.7 million square miles. The Greenland ice sheet also holds significant amounts of fresh water. Canada is abundantly blessed with water resources. With one of the largest replenishable stores of freshwater globally, it has access to around 20% of the world’s surface freshwater and 7% of the world’s renewable water flow. Here is the Top 10 Countries with Freshwater Resources as mentioned below....

Brazil – 8,233 Cubic Kilometre

Brazil possesses the largest replenishable freshwater reserves globally, accounting for 12% of the world’s total freshwater reservoirs. This comprises 70% of the global water volume within the Amazon River and 53% of South America’s water resources. Additionally, Brazil has approximately 8,647 billion cubic meters of replenishable water, translating to roughly 41,000 cubic meters per person. Nonetheless, water distribution across Brazil is uneven. For instance, São Paulo state only holds 1.6% of the country’s water, whereas 70% is situated in the Amazon River....

Russia – 4,508 Cubic Kilometre

Russia possesses one-fifth of the world’s reserves of fresh water, which includes Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake globally. However, the distribution of water is uneven. The central and southern regions of European Russia, where 80% of the country’s population and industry are concentrated, have access to only 8% of the nation’s water resources. Most of Russia’s freshwater reserves are locked in the frozen ground of the northern European part and western Siberia, throughout central and eastern Siberia, and nearly all of the far east region. Glaciers on Arctic islands, the Ural mountains, and the southern Siberian mountains also hold freshwater resources. Russia boasts over 120,000 rivers spanning at least ten kilometers each, totaling a length of 2.3 million kilometers....

United States – 3,069 Cubic Kilometre

The United States ranks third globally in terms of its abundant freshwater reserves. However, underground water stores are diminishing rapidly due to a mix of factors such as population growth, increased reliance on groundwater, and climate change. Freshwater sources serve multiple functions, including supplying drinking water, supporting recreational activities, sustaining fish populations, facilitating agriculture, and fueling industrial operations. The major lakes include Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. Together, they contain roughly 90% of the freshwater within the United States and about 20% of the world’s total freshwater reservoir. Approximately forty million individuals in the United States and Canada rely on this network for access to clean drinking water....

Canada – 2,902 Cubic Kilometre

Canada possesses more than 20% of the world’s surface freshwater, along with 7% of the world’s replenishable water flow. Its freshwater reservoirs consist of rivers, lakes, groundwater, ice, and snow. Canada boasts over 31,000 lakes larger than three square kilometers, notably including Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Great Bear Lake, Great Slave Lake, and Lake Erie. The country’s average yearly water output is estimated at 3,472 billion cubic meters, almost matching the volume of water in Lake Huron. Moreover, Canada tops the list for the most renewable freshwater available per person each year, with 109,837 cubic meters per person, trailing only Iceland among developed nations....

China – 2,840 Cubic Kilometre

China possesses 2.8 trillion cubic meters of freshwater reserves, constituting 6% of the world’s water supply. Nonetheless, China’s per capita freshwater availability is merely 2,000 cubic meters, a quarter of the global average. China’s freshwater reservoirs consist of 2500 cubic kilometers of yearly river flow and 828.8 cubic kilometers of groundwater replenishment. In 2015, the State Council initiated the Action Plan for Water Pollution Prevention and Control to tackle water safety concerns. However, freshwater ecosystems exhibit poorer conditions compared to forest, grassland, and coastal ecosystems....

Colombia – 2,132 Cubic Kilometre

Colombia possesses abundant freshwater sources, including rivers, underground water reservoirs, and reservoirs created by dams. The country receives an average annual rainfall of 3,000 mm, with 61% of it directly replenishing the water sources. Colombia also boasts 90 small reservoirs holding a combined capacity of 3.4 km3, along with 26 larger ones with a total capacity of 9.1 km3. The Amazonas basin contributes 35%, the Orinoco basin 28%, the Magdalena-Cauca basin 14%, the Pacific region 14%, and the Caribbean region 8% to the country’s water resources....

European Union – 2,057 Cubic Kilometre

Croatia boasts the highest replenishable freshwater reserves per person in the European Union, averaging 30,000 cubic meters per individual over the long run. Groundwater holds nearly one-third of the world’s total fresh water resources and in the EU, it provides 65% of drinking water and 25% of water for agricultural irrigation. Pollution of groundwater poses a significant danger to this vital resource....

Indonesia – 2,019 Cubic Kilometre

Indonesia possesses 6% of the world’s freshwater reserves, receiving an average annual precipitation of 2,702 mm. The country also has significant renewable water sources, but distribution is uneven, leading to mismatches between supply and demand. Water demand is escalating swiftly due to economic and demographic factors, particularly in regions with scarce resources. Numerous groundwater and river basins experience water scarcity, especially during the dry season. Freshwater availability is ample in Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Papua, where population density is lower....

Peru – 1,913 Cubic Kilometre

Peru possesses 159 river basins, contributing to 4.7% of the world’s yearly renewable water sources. The Amazon Hydrographic Region holds 97% of the nation’s freshwater, accommodating 31% of its population. Nonetheless, water distribution in Peru is uneven, with the coastal zone accessing less than 2% of the country’s fresh water reserves. External water sources enter Peru via tributaries of the Amazon, within the Atlantic river basin, providing 125 billion cubic meters annually. Key rivers include Napo, Tigre, Pastaza, Santiago, Morona, Cenepa, and Chinchipe. According to ANA, the coastal area’s total groundwater availability is estimated to be between 35 and 40 cubic kilometers....

India – 1,911 Cubic Kilometre

India is a country blessed with ample water reserves, accounting for 4% of the world’s water resources. However, India is also susceptible to water-related crises such as floods, droughts, and cyclones. Surface water, underground river flow, groundwater, and frozen water are all natural reservoirs of freshwater. Treated wastewater (reclaimed water) and desalinated seawater serve as examples of artificial freshwater sources. This article will delve into our nation’s water assets for the UPSC Examinations. Groundwater stands as the most abundant natural freshwater resource, with India boasting an annual utilizable groundwater resource of 433 bcm. Alluvial aquifers, spanning one-third of India’s landmass, hold half of the country’s renewable groundwater resources....

FAQs – Top 10 Countries with Freshwater Resources

Which country has the most fresh water resources?...